Three Chimneys announced today that Horse of the Year and champion sire Gun Runner , a six-time grade 1 winner and the second-leading all-time money earner in North America with $15,988,500 in earnings, will be available to cover mares on Southern Hemisphere time. Gun Runner distinguished himself on the track as the best of his generation, starting with a win on debut as a 2-year-old and culminating with wins in the 2017 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) and 2018 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1).
In the breeding shed, Gun Runner has been nothing short of sensational. The sire of six individual grade 1 winners, Gun Runner sired a first-crop classic winner in Early Voting . The Three Chimneys-bred colt was winner on debut at 2, and followed that win with a victory next out in the Withers Stakes (G3) en route to his Preakness Stakes (G1) triumph.
Other grade 1 winners from his first crop include champion 2-year-old filly and Breeders' Cup winner Echo Zulu, Hopeful Stakes (G1) winner Gunite , multiple grade 1 winners Cyberknife and Taiba , and Cotillion Stakes (G1) winner Society who set a track record at Ellis Park while taking the seven-furlong Chicago Stakes (G3) in 1:20.54 on June 24.
Disarm, from Gun Runner's second crop, became his sire's newest graded stakes winner with his victory June 11 in the Matt Winn Stakes (G3).
Breaking records among United States stallions with his first two crops, he was the leading general sire of 2022 by percentage of grade 1 winners, graded stakes winners, black-type winners, grade 1 stakes horses, graded stakes horses, and black-type horses, according to Three Chimneys.
In the sales ring, Gun Runner's progeny have been received with enthusiasm. His yearlings averaged $471,638 in 2022, including the $2.3 million sale topper at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. This year he led all sires of 2-year-olds sold in North America by average, with his juveniles averaging $437,500 for 10 sold.
With just two crops to race, Gun Runner finished fifth in 2022 on the general sires list by progeny earnings with $14,667,829. He was also the leading sire of 3-year-olds with $13,224,851 in earnings. Gun Runner currently ranks fifth on the general sire list in North America with $7,939,336 in earnings through July 7 with 21 stakes performers.
"We have had heavy interest from farms and breeders in Australia and have already seen some great mares visit him in his first Southern Hemisphere crop, including Golden Slipper winner Estijaab", said Doug Cauthen, vice chairman of Three Chimneys' board of directors. "Being free of Danehill is something we have heard a lot from Australian breeders."
Three Chimneys is offering a AU$500,000 bonus if any offspring from this crop as well as foals resulting from his first Southern Hemisphere crop produce a Golden Slipper (G1) winner.
"We figured this would be a fun bonus and a possible one as well, as Slipper winner Estijaab herself is in-foal to Gun Runner," said Rebecca Nicholson, director of stallion nominations.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
