Gunite

Gunite, a son of 2007 Horse of the Year Gun Runner, finished third in his April 2021 debut at Churchill Downs in a five-furlong sprint, and then checked in second in his next race in late May at the same distance after bobbling at the start.

He sealed the deal in his third career start, taking a six-furlong maiden at Churchill on June 26 by 1 ½ lengths as the even-money favorite, and then trainer Steve Asmussen sent Gunite to Saratoga to compete in that track’s graded stakes for 2-year-olds.

In the Aug. 14 Saratoga Special Presented by Miller Lite, Gunite ran well but was second best to High Oak, losing by 4 ½ lengths. Based on that effort, he was sent off at odds of 11.60-1 in the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes on Saratoga’s closing Sept. 6 card, a race dominated in the wagering by Sanford Stakes winner and odds-on favorite Wit and High Oak.

With regular rider Ricardo Santana, Jr., aboard, Gunite overcame a bump at the start, contested the early pace, and shot clear at the top of the stretch to win by 5 ¾ lengths.

Gunite closed out his juvenile campaign with a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes when stretching out to a mile

Returning from a nine-month layoff May 3 at Churchill Downs, Gunite finished second in an allowance-optional claiming race in his 3-year-old bow and followed with a win in the Maxfield Overnight Stakes, also at Churchill, on July 3. Gunite’s first two starts at 3 came at seven-eighths of a mile and he cut back slightly in distance for the Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes July 31 at Saratoga Race Course. He regained his top form in the 6 ½-furlong Amsterdam despite stumbling at the start. Gunite pressed the pace from second and held off hard-charging Accretive by a neck to prevail.

After a runner-up finish to Jack Christopher in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes Aug. 27 at Saratoga, Gunite proved much the best in a three-length win Sept. 24 at Churchill Downs in the $275,000 Harrods Creek Stakes.

Gunite won again in his next start in the $250,000 Perryville Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 22, pushing his career record to 10 exacta finishes in 12 lifetime outings with six wins. He sat perched a length off a contested :22.1 first quarter-mile pace in the Perryville and swept past the leaders at the quarter pole and extended his advantage through the stretch to prevail by 3 3/4 lengths. He ran the seven furlongs in 1:23.21 as the 3-5 favorite in a field of seven 3-year-olds.

With no seven-furlong option available to him in the Breeders' Cup, Gunite was sent to Keeneland where he was cross entered in the both Dirt Mile and in Sprint at six furlongs. The connections opted for the Dirt Mile where he subsequently finished fourth in the race won by Cody's Wish.

To begin his 2023 campaign, Gunite was pointed to the $1.5 million Group 3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint Stakes on the Saudi Cup undercard at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Feb. 25.  Gunite was sent off as the second favorite in the wagering behind Breeders' Cup Sprint winner and American champion dirt sprinter Elite Power, and ran second behind that runaway winning rival. He followed with a third-place finish by a half-length in the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Nakheel on the Dubai World Cup undercard.

Gunite returned to the winner's circle in his first race back in the states after the Middle East trip, winning the Aristides Stakes June 3, 2023, at Churchill Downs by 1 3/4 lengths. He then finished second by a head to familiar rival Elite Power in the the Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap July 29 at Saratoga Race Course. Gunite turned the tables on Elite Power and halted his eight-race winning streak in the Grade 1 Forego Stakes Aug. 26 at Saratoga, where he led from start to finish in a 1 3/4-length win. It was Gunite's first Grade 1 win since his Hopeful Stakes victory at the Spa as a 2-year-old.

Gunite renewed his rivalry with Elite Power in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita, but could not again match his success in the Forego. Gunite ran a game pace presing effort but came up short by a half a length to Elite Power in second.

Gunite is out of the stakes-winning Cowboy Cal mare Simple Surprise. He is trained by Steve Asmussen.