The first foal sired by Ashford Stud's Gunite (Gun Runner) was born Thursday, Jan. 9.
Owned by Phoenix Farm and Racing and Todd Frederick, the colt the third produce from his dam Sweet Meadow Mist (D'Funnybone), a half-sister to the stakes-winning and Grade III-placed Bachata (Kingmambo), whose daughter Gold Medal Dancer (Medaglia d'Oro) was named a 'TDN Rising Star' before going on to win the GII Azeri Stakes while placing in the GI Apple Blossom Handicap and GI La Troienne Stakes for Josephine Abercrombie's Pin Oak Stud. Gold Medal Dancer made $400,000 in foal to Ashford's Munnings when offered at the Pin Oak dispersal in 2021. The current 2-year-old from Sweet Meadow Mist, a colt by Yaupon, fetched $250,000 at Keeneland September last fall.
“He's a really nice colt and we are very happy with him,” said farm manager Ramiro Salazar.
Bred and raced by Winchell Thoroughbreds, Gunite was the 5 3/4-length winner of the GI Hopeful Stakes in 2021 and added the GII Amsterdam Stakes the following season ahead of a runner-up effort to Ashford barnmate Jack Christopher (Munnings) in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Stakes. He returned in 2023 to complete a Saratoga stakes trifecta, defeating champion Elite Power (Curlin) by 1 3/4 lengths in the GI Forego Stakes before ending his career with a runner-up effort in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint.
Gunite stood his first year at stud in 2024 at a fee of $35,000.
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