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Early Voting Retired to Ashford Stud

The Gun Runner colt defeated Epicenter in the Preakness Stakes (G1) in May.

Early Voting defeats Epicenter in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course

Early Voting defeats Epicenter in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course

Anne M. Eberhardt

Klaravich Stables' Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Early Voting  has been retired from racing and will stand at Coolmore America's Ashford Stud in 2023, the farm announced Oct. 5.

The son of Gun Runner  compiled a 3-1-0 record with earnings of $1,372,500 in six starts, highlighted by his frontrunning score in the second jewel of the Triple Crown at Pimlico Race Course, where he defeated favored Epicenter . His other victories came in the Withers Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack and a maiden race there in late 2021. He also ran second to eventual Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) winner Mo Donegal  in the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino (G2) in his start preceding the Preakness.

Trainer Chad Brown opted to skip a pace-laden Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) with frontrunning Early Voting, opting to bring a fresh horse into the Preakness, a plan that paid off with a victory.

Following his race at Pimlico, Early Voting raced at Saratoga Race Course, finishing fourth in the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) and eighth in the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) in the final starts of his career.

"We're delighted to be standing Classic winner Early Voting," Ashford Stud manager Dermot Ryan said in a release. "He's a very good-looking son of a remarkable sire in Gun Runner—with an incredible six grade 1 winners from his first crop—and he's out of a half sister to the sire of our own Munnings ."

Bred by Three Chimneys Farm in Kentucky, Early Voting provided Horse of the Year Gun Runner with a classic winner in his first crop. Triphammer Farm bought him for $200,000 from the Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency consignment at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Early Voting is out of Amour d'Ete, a daughter of two-time Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Tiznow and Canadian champion Silken Cat (Storm Cat), making her a full sister to Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) winner Irap and half sister to champion sprinter and prominent sire Speightstown  (Gone West). Early Voting is the third of six foals, which include three winners from as many to race. The Preakness winner is her first stakes winner. Amour d'Ete has a yearling filly by Constitution  and a Volatile  filly who was born earlier this year.

"Early Voting was an outstanding physical specimen as a yearling," said bloodstock agent Mike Ryan, who buys many horses for Brown's clients. "He had size, strength, scope, substance, and tremendous quality. It is very easy to be impressed."

"Early Voting identified himself very early in his initial training as one of our top colts in his crop," added Brown. "He has tremendous gate speed for a horse his size and incredible stamina to complement it. His performance in the Preakness confirms his talent as one of the best in this talented division."

Three Chimneys' Gun Runner has gotten off to a fast start at stud. He was the leading North American freshman sire for 2021 by progeny earnings (a record $4,315,980), by winners (31), and by graded stakes winners (four). He is the current leading second-crop sire with more than twice the progeny earnings ($11,086,080) of second-ranked Keen Ice .

A fee for Early Voting will be announced at a later date.

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