Amo Racing Makes Splash With $3.1M Gun Runner Colt

It's not difficult to see why yearlings by Gun Runner are in high demand. So when Hip 313 came into the ring Sept. 15 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Amo Racing USA's Kia Joorabchian was not going to be denied. When the dust settled, Amo Racing USA secured the rights to the full brother of Locked for $3.1 million during Day 2 of the Lexington sale. Bloodstock agent Ben McElroy, bidding for Amo, said the price landed higher than he anticipated. "Kia was very strong, and he drove the bus on that one," he said. "The horse obviously made a ton of sense. It was a beautiful physical but, you know, when you get up to those numbers, nobody can predict." The chestnut colt is out of the Malibu Moon mare Luna Rosa. Breeding is not an exact science, but when a combination works, why not try it again? The Gun Runner-Luna Rosa pairing done by breeder Rosa Colasanti produced multiple grade 1 winner Locked, who missed the board once in 11 starts (6-1-3) and earned more than $1.9 million. Locked began his stud career this year and stood for an advertised fee of $35,000 at Gainesway, near Lexington. In addition to producing multiple grade 1 winner Locked, the mare also has produced the stakes-placed filly Code (Tiz the Law). "We saw the horse this morning, and Kia just loved him right from the get-go, and obviously by a sensational sire in Gun Runner, and the full brother is at stud, so we are hoping for the same result." McElroy said the colt will go to Ocala, Fla., for his early training and Joorabchian will pick a trainer next spring. The agent said he expects a lot of interest from conditioners who want to work with the colt, including Wesley Ward, who is "high" on the son of Gun Runner. Hip 313 was consigned by Eaton Sales, who also sold Locked at the September sale four years ago for $425,000 to Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm. Reiley McDonald said Hip 313 was one of the most outstanding Gun Runner progeny he has seen. "He's probably as pretty a Gun Runner as I've seen," McDonald said. "Obviously he's at the very top of the stallion roster here in this country, but probably as pretty as one of those that I've seen. "If you took a picture of him, you could put it in the book of athleticism and conformation. He was average size, beautiful neck, great shoulder, great depth, good length, big hip, incredible balance, and he moved like a machine for 204 shows. Every time he moved just like the time before—some kind of horse." Although the final price of $3.1 million—the second-highest price of the sale through the first two sessions—was steep, McDonald said he was not surprised. "When you're a full brother to a multiple grade 1 winner (Locked), you look like him; the market is all over Gun Runners, I'm not surprised he brought that," McDonald said. "But once you go north of a million, you never know how the stars align."