MATING SUGGESTIONS: If anyone needed further proof of Gun Runner’s enormous impact as a stallion, it was provided by Keeneland’s 2025 September Sale, when all of the first four sessions were topped by his sons. Of course, high-priced yearlings by Gun Runner are nothing new. The 2022 Saratoga Sale was topped by another of his sons, when his colt out of Heavenly Love made $2,300,000. Named Sierra Leone, he proved to be worth every cent – and much more. Sierra Leone was designated a TDN Rising Star after he had overcome his inexperience to make a winning debut over a mile at Aqueduct in early November 2023. He justified the accolade by very nearly becoming a G2SW in the Remsen S. on his next start, when he went down by just a nose to future G1 Belmont S. winner Dornoch. The next two years saw Sierra Leone push his earnings beyond the 7-million-dollar mark, thanks partly to his G1 victories in the Blue Grass S. over a mile and an eighth and the Breeders’ Cup Classic and Whitney S. over a mile and a quarter. He also built the proud record of never finishing out of the first three in his 14 starts – ninet of them at G1 level and four at G2. It was by only a nose that he failed to land the G1 Kentucky Derby. In winning the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic and becoming an Eclipse Award winner, Sierra Leone emulated Gun Runner but did so a year earlier than his sire. As might be expected of a sale-topping yearling, Sierra Leone has a pedigree to match his first-rate performances. His first three dams all performed well at the highest level. His dam Heavenly Love landed the G1 Alcibiades S. at two; second dam Darling My Darling was also amongst the best juvenile fillies of her year, as she showed when second in two G1s, including a head defeat in the Frizette S.; and third dam Roamin Rachel took the G1 Ballerina H. over 7f as a 4YO. This family has also made a great impact in Japan, where Roamin Rachel’s son Zenno Rob Roy became Horse of the Year. More recently, Darling My Darling’s grandson Forever Young won this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic having previously been a G1SW in both Japan and Saudi Arabia. Gun Runner owes a lot of his success to mares with STORM CAT blood. Of his 11 G1SWs, Gun Pilot and Early Voting are inbred 4x3, while Echo Zulu and Vahva are inbred 4x4. Bearing in mind that Sierra Leone’s grandsire Candy Ride owes 8 of his 115 SWs to daughters of STORM CAT , mares with STORM CAT blood look sure to suit him. SCAT DADDY sired the dam of Gun Runner’s G2SW Pappacap and the 2nd dam of G1 2YO winner Brant. HARLAN’S HOLIDAY sired the dam of G1SW Vhava. These two branches of the STORM CAT line should suit Sierra Leone, as should daughters of INTO MISCHIEF and JUSTIFY . Gun Runner also has several smart performers inbred to GIANT’S CAUSEWAY , including the Graded-winning brothers Gunite and Spice Runner (3x3) and Gr.3 winner Hall of Fame (3x2). Sierra Leone’s foals will have A.P. INDY in their fourth generation. It is well worth considering a second line, as A.P. INDY is playing a significant role in Gun Runner’s success story. From his first 45 starters out of TAPIT mares, Gun Runner has sired G1SW Society, G2SWs Red Route One and Wicked Halo, G3SWs Disarm, Recharge and Il Miracolo, as well as three SWs and the G1-placed Dreamlike. The nine BTWs represent 14% of Gun Runner’s foals out of Tapit mares. Tapit’s sire PULPIT is by no means the only representative of the A.P. INDY/MR PROSPECTOR cross who is working well with Gun Runner. Gun Runner’s first starter out of a mare by FLATTER was the multiple G1-winning Taiba while MINESHAFT is the broodmare sire of the G1-placed Bendoog. BERNARDINI has also started very well with Gun Runner. His daughters’ first 8 starters include G2SWs Life Talk and a pair of stakes winners. Bernardini mares create 4x3 to A.P. INDY and 5x4 to QUIET AMERICAN . Gun Runner also has a stakes winner and a G2-placed winner with dams by A.P. INDY . UNBRIDLED line mares are also making their mark with Gun Runner. G1SW Brant has a dam by Unbridled’s Song’s son LIAM’S MAP , while G3SW Running Away has a dam by UNBRIDLED’S SONG and G1-placed Dry Powder has a dam by BROKEN VOW . There are also GSHs out of mares by EMPIRE MAKER (2) and BODEMEISTER . Mares from the DISTORTED HUMOR line should suit Sierra Leone, as Gun Runner has sired the G2SW Intricate from one of his daughters, as well as the G1-winning Cyberknife and G2-placed McLaren Vale from grand-daughters. Other branches of the MR PROSPECTOR line are also having success with Gun Runner. G1SW Gun Pilot has a dam by SMART STRIKE , while G2SW Gun Song has a dam by MR GREELEY. Daughters of CURLIN could reinforce Siera Leone’s classic ability. They have six winners from eight starters by Gun Runner, including stakes winner Headline Numbers. Gun Runner is having success with INDIAN CHARLIE line mares. His G2SW Chatalas is out of one of his daughters, while stakes winner Concept is out of a grand-daughter. Mares by UNCLE MO could therefore be ideal for Sierra Leone. 59
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