The Gun Runner

1 Mile Turf Stake Purse $2,000.000 Three-Year-Olds. At KD

1st      Neon Lightning               Nakamura Stables              10-1 (HRP) 4-1 (SRF)

Neon Lightning continued his love affair with turf in The Gun Runner with a smartly crafted victory staking the leaders into the stretch and powering up to a quarter-length win at the end of the mile on soft turf. This was by far and away the richest score for the Nakamura Stables’ gelding and posts its record as 6 times 1stor 2nd of 7 turf tries. Do to realize this horse has earnings of $1,438.200 without ever even placing in a graded stakes race? Well, I’m sure his connections could care less while they’re sipping cappuccino with the bank manager. And me, once again I saw it but cowarded out in my handicap. I gave him fourth best odds and then placed him to finish sixth. Ah, well, at least I gave him a lot of respect in my preview. I mean, what do you want from me? I’m just a hack horse racing writer. Buy my poetry books. Help me afford these horses.

2nd      Extravagant       Bigchief Stables             24.50-1 (HRP) 7-2 (SRF)

Extravagant was as impressive as I expected as he forced the pace from the git go, took over coming home and fought courageously to the wire, just being nipped by a quarter-length. Look at that smile on Bigchief’s face. Second in a $2,000,000 race. Not too bad for a $1.000 horse. I don’t know where those HRP odds came from! I mean he had I’m going to do well written all over him. Once again, I had his odds third best and placed him fourth in the handicap, so getting closer (just don’t look at my first and third choices).

3rd     Western Knight                      Our Athletes               5.70-1 (HRP) 5-1 (SRF)

Western Knight started third a half-length back and finished third a half-length back in a strong consistent battle to the wire. He previewed the kind of courage he could muster up in winning the KD Preview Nashville Derby before this race. Fun to see we agreed on the odds, although HRP’s meant he was second favourite and mine meant fifth best, However, I did place the three-year-old second in my handicap. Quite an achievement for a first time against older.

3rd      Man In A Box              Nakamura Stables              8-1 (HRP) 5-1 (SRF)

Man In A Box, also a three-year-old, shares the same honor of placing third in his first attempt against older, only in a very different fashion, changing his usual tactics coming from the clouds as a deep closer dead last until the far turn and then charging home to arrive a half-length late and on even terms with Western Knight. HRP gave Man In A Box odds that placed him fourth best, ironically, I gave him the same odds as Western Knight making them a dead heat for fifth instead of third.

Well, it’s been fun comparing the odds and seeing where I got it wrong. I’m actually stunned that my choice as favourite, McWicked, was HRP’ choice to finish seventh… and of course, the horse finished seventh. Nothing to see here.

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded