Kentucky Derby Horse Profile: Runaway Ghost

Mar 28, 2018 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

A dozen three-year-olds went to post in Saturday’s Sunland Derby (G3), but it was one horse who was all the rage following the $800,000 feature. 

Runaway Ghost swept to the lead at the top of the lane and put his foes away in a few jumps in a superb showing by the Todd Fincher trainee.

Joe Peacock’s homebred earned 50 points for his tally and currently sits in seventh-place on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

Runaway Ghost was a precocious juvenile for then-trainer Michael Machowsky, missing by a head in a 4 ½-furlong sprint at Santa Anita in his debut before posting a pair of wins in succession, including a 7 ½-length romp in the Golden Nugget S. at Golden Gate Fields.

Kentucky-bred colt then tried the best of the two-year-old division in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G1). Runaway Ghost dueled for the lead from the break and held a slight edge to the top of the lane before throwing in the towel in his two-turn debut, being virtually pulled up in the stretch behind major Kentucky Derby contenders McKinzie, Solomini and Instilled Regard.

In his 2018 debut, Runaway Ghost faced nine others in the Riley Allison S. and left little doubt as to who was best en route to a 7 ¾-length triumph going one mile in a first run following a trainer change. Son of Ghostzapper earned a hefty 104 BRIS Late Pace number to suggest that he will prosper running a route of ground.

The bay colt resurfaced in the Mine That Derby Stakes, also at Sunland Park, and was upended as the heavy 2-5 favorite when second. To his credit, Runaway Ghost was more than 15 lengths clear of the third-place finisher and didn’t lose any luster while posting a lifetime-best 100 BRIS Speed number in the process.

Runaway Ghost is by Ghostzapper, who was among the best horses to race on U. S. soil over the past two decades. The 2004 Horse of the Year was inducted to the Racing Hall of Fame in 2012 and is a second-generation Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, following his sire Awesome Again. A top sire, Ghostzapper was a Grade-1 winner going sprint, mile and classic distances in his racing career.

Desert God, who was unraced, is a bit obscure in being a broodmare sire to just a trio of stakes winners. But the son of Fappiano should be a fine stamina influence for Runaway Ghost. Desert God hails from a superb family – his half-sister Blushing With Pride was a Broodmare of the Year responsible for producing the unforgettable Rags to Riches, while his second dam Best in Show was also a Broodmare of the Year.

Runaway Ghost is peaking at the right time and can’t be ignored as a Kentucky Derby prospect. Rapidly improving colt proved that he can sit off the pace and still prosper while racing against graded competition. He is bred to handle ten furlongs, and the runner-up performance by Conquest Mo Money in the 2017 Arkansas Derby (G1) shows that New Mexico shippers can be the real deal. 

(Coady Photo)