Expert Pick of the Week: 2023 Gun Runner Stakes

Dec 20, 2023 John Mucciolo

A talented field of eight two-year-old prospects will travel 1 1/16 miles on the Fair Grounds dirt surface in Saturday’s $100,000 Gun Runner S. The finale of a huge card that will play host to eight stakes races in total will offer 21 qualifying points (10-5-3-2-1) to the top five finishers in the 2024 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series event.

Nash, one of two major contenders in the field for conditioner Brad Cox, was runner-up in a sprint debut at Keeneland behind a sharp winner, and the colt made a huge leap forward when going two turns in his second lifetime try. Sent directly to the front in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight contest at Churchill Downs on Nov. 12, the Medaglia d’Oro colt was never challenged en route to a massive, 10-length victory while geared down late.

Nash’s first race going 1 1/16 miles was a stunner. @TrustYourLuck includes him in his 5 horses to watch @fairgroundsnola on the Road to @KentuckyDerby 150.

Click the link below to add Kevin's Expert Stable to your Stable Alerts ⤵️https://t.co/ioYR9VnuXJ pic.twitter.com/udZFM6Sq4x

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) December 16, 2023

The Godolphin homebred earned a hefty 97 Brisnet Speed number for his latest performance and has posted a trio of solid drills in the interim, including a nice five panels on this oval in advance of his stakes bow. Nash will face some pace pressure to his outside, but all signs indicate that the February foal could be a very good one with further development. Florent Geroux retains the ride atop the leading selection.

Catching Freedom was quite impressive in a debut win beneath the Twin Spires, prior to running an even fourth in a subsequent allowance tilt at the same venue. The $575,000 son of Constitution endured some traffic in that event, which was better than it appears on paper, and the bay could certainly improve and be a major player on Saturday following a trio of nice local morning moves as of late. Corey Lanerie will be in the silks aboard the Cox pupil.

#6 Catching Freedom makes his debut a winning one in R4 under the Twin Spires for trainer @bradcoxracing with @flothejock aboard! 🎓

The 2-year-old colt is by @WinStarFarm stallion Constitution.

🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/BdxEZHaI0X

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) October 1, 2023

The Rob Atras-trained Neat is the wildcard in the field but a juvenile that is surely worth keeping an eye on. By Constitution, the chestnut colt comes off of a pair of dominant turf wins and could be any kind trying the main course for the initial time. The $200,000 yearling purchase has the gate presence to put himself into the race early on, and the Kentucky-bred will be a dangerous commodity as the field turns for home with Reylu Gutierrez in the stirrups.

Expert Pick

An exacta with #6 Nash on top of #2 Catching Freedom and #4 Neat in the 2023 Gun Runner Stakes is the Best Bet of the Week.