Gun Runner Yearling Takes Early Lead at Keeneland

'He had tremendous presence and a great walk' — David Wade

By Lauren Gash

A yearling colt (Hip 270) by leading sire Gun Runner  commanded top honors early on Jan. 9 during Day 1 of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, selling for $400,000 to David Wade, who signed on behalf of Sycamore Hall Thoroughbreds. The February-born colt is the first foal out of the Will Take Charge mare, Willa, consigned by the Taylor Made Sales Agency.

"We looked at him, and he seemed like he was the whole package," Wade commented. "He had tremendous presence and a great walk. A Gun Runner—it doesn't get any better than that—and a nice family, so it seemed like a no-brainer to go after him. Horses like this, as soon as they come at you, you know whether they have class or not. You could tell when he came out (of the barn) that you were looking at a nice horse."

Bred in Kentucky by the Gun Runner Syndicate and Sun Valley Farm, the colt is out of the winning mare, Willa, from the family of Miss Kilroy, a half sister to grade 2 winner Miss Coronado, and producer of grade 1 placed Miss Jean Brodie and two other stakes winners. 

Wade was unsure of the future plans for the attractive bay, noting, "A horse like this you could race or pinhook. We tend to pinhook, but we will digest this and go back and think about it."

The colt was the early-leading short yearling price during Monday's opening session by $180,000 and the sole purchase for the Maryland-based operation.

"It's exactly where we thought he would be on price," Frank Taylor, vice president of sales at Taylor Made, said. "He was just a beautiful colt. He's the kind of horse that looks like he could be a Derby horse, a two-turn horse. You can't beat the sire. He has a lot of class—beautiful eye, a good walk, and an excellent mind. He has it all."