# Gunite (horse)

Gunite (foaled February 3, 2019) is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse who won multiple Grade I events including the Hopeful Stakes as a two-year-old in 2021 and the Forego Stakes at Saratoga Racetrack in 2023.

## Background

Gunite is a dark bay or brown colt that was bred in Kentucky by his owner Winchell Thoroughbreds. Gunite is the progeny of Three Chimneys Farm's freshman sire Gun Runner, the 2017 American Horse of the Year and six-time Grade 1 winner, who was trained by Steven M. Asmussen for Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys. Gunite is the first foal to race out of the Cowboy Cal stakes winner Simple Surprise, who is out of the Grade 3-placed, stakes-winning sprinter Simplify, a daughter of Pulpit. Simple Surprise has a yearling full sister to Gunite and produced a filly by Copper Bullet in 2021. She was bred back to Tapiture also in 2021.
Simplify is half sister to the five-time stakes winner Classify, and three-quarter sister to the Tapit mare Omnitap, dam of Air Strike, successful in the G3 Triple Bend Stakes, and Pegasus Stakes winner Home Brew. Gunite's third dam, Classic Olympio, was a fast and precocious performer on the West Coast, winning four black-type events, including the Moccasin Stakes and Anoakia Stakes, and she also took second in the G2 Santa Ynez Stakes and third in the G2 Railbird Stakes. The fifth dam, Lilac Hill, took the Cotillion Handicap when it was run at Liberty Bell (now Parx), and was half sister to G1 Gran Premio di Milano scorer Rouge Sang, three-quarter sister to Del Mar Derby winner and sire Speak John, and closely related to Stage Door Johnny, the champion 3-year-old colt of 1968 (both by Prince John, out of granddaughters of the mare Folle Nuit).

## Career highlights

As a two-year-old Gunite broke his maiden on his third attempt at Churchill Downs in a Maiden Special Weight event over six furlongs. He followed up with a second in the Grade II Saratoga Special to High Oak. Remaining at Saratoga on Labor Day Gunite captured the Grade I Hopeful Stakes with a commanding 5+3⁄4 lengths victory over Wit with High Oak finishing fourth.

## Retirement and stud

After his final start on November 4, 2023 in the Breeders' Cup Sprint connections of Gunite announced his retirement from racing. In 2024 Gunite will stand at Coolmore America's Ashford Stud for a fee of US$35,000.

## Statistics

| Date | Distance | Race | Grade / Group | Track | Odds | Field | Finish | Winning Time | Winning (Losing) Margin | Jockey |
| 2021 – two-year-old season ||||||||||||
| Apr 29, 2021 | 5 furlongs | Maiden Special Weight | | Churchill Downs | 1.80* | 9 | 3 | 0:59.49 | (3+3⁄4 lengths) | Florent Geroux |
| May 22, 2021 | 5 furlongs | Maiden Special Weight | | Churchill Downs | 1.50 | 9 | 2 | 0:58.13 | (1+1⁄2 lengths) | Ricardo Santana Jr. |
| Jun 26, 2021 | 6 furlongs | Maiden Special Weight | | Churchill Downs | 1.00* | 12 | 1 | 1:10.10 | 1+1⁄2 lengths | Ricardo Santana Jr. |
| Aug 14, 2021 | 6+1⁄2 furlongs | Saratoga Special | II | Saratoga | 4.70 | 10 | 2 | 1:16.53 | (4+1⁄4 lengths) | Ricardo Santana Jr. |
| Sep 6, 2021 | 7 furlongs | Hopeful Stakes | I | Saratoga | 11.60 | 11 | 1 | 1:23.08 | 5+3⁄4 lengths | Ricardo Santana Jr. |
| Oct 2, 2021 | 1 mile | Champagne Stakes | I | Belmont Park | 3.40 | 6 | 5 | 1:36.72 | (14+1⁄2 lengths) | Ricardo Santana Jr. |
| 2022 – three-year-old season ||||||||||||
| Jun 3, 2022 | 7 furlongs | Allowance | | Churchill Downs | 1.60* | 5 | 2 | 1:20.62 | (5+1⁄4 lengths) | Florent Geroux |
| Jul 3, 2022 | 7 furlongs | Maxfield Overnight Stakes | | Churchill Downs | 0.90* | 6 | 1 | 1:23.08 | (1⁄2 length) | Tyler Gaffalione |
| Jul 31, 2022 | 6+1⁄2 furlongs | Amsterdam Stakes | II | Saratoga | 7.40 | 9 | 1 | 1:15.75 | neck | Tyler Gaffalione |
| Aug 27, 2022 | 7 furlongs | H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes | I | Saratoga | 7.00 | 8 | 2 | 1:21.35 | (1+1⁄4 lengths) | Tyler Gaffalione |
| Sep 24, 2022 | 7 furlongs | Harrods Creek Stakes | | Churchill Downs | 0.63* | 7 | 1 | 1:21.95 | 3 lengths | Tyler Gaffalione |
| Oct 22, 2022 | 7 furlongs | Perryville Stakes | Listed | Keeneland | 0.62* | 7 | 1 | 1:23.22 | 3+3⁄4 lengths | Tyler Gaffalione |
| Nov 5, 2022 | 1 mile | Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile | I | Keeneland | 3.69 | 9 | 4 | 1:35.33 | (4 lengths) | Tyler Gaffalione |
| 2023 – four-year-old season ||||||||||||
| Jan 28, 2023 | 6 furlongs | King Cotton Stakes | Listed | Oaklawn Park | 0.70* | 6 | 1 | 1:08.89 | 4 lengths | Ricardo Santana Jr. |
| Feb 25, 2023 | 1200 metres | Riyadh Dirt Sprint | III | King Abdulaziz Racetrack (KSA) | N/A | 9 | 2 | 1:11.01 | (3+1⁄4 lengths) | Tyler Gaffalione |
| Mar 25, 2023 | 1200 metres | Dubai Golden Shaheen | I | Meydan (UAE) | N/A | 14 | 3 | 1:10.69 | (1⁄2 length) | Tyler Gaffalione |
| Jun 3, 2023 | 6 furlongs | Aristides Stakes | Listed | Churchill Downs | 0.90* | 5 | 1 | 1:08.46 | 1+3⁄4 lengths | Tyler Gaffalione |
| Jul 29, 2023 | 6 furlongs | Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap | I | Saratoga | 1.20 | 7 | 2 | 1:09.22 | head | Tyler Gaffalione |
| Aug 26, 2023 | 7 furlongs | Forego Stakes | I | Saratoga | 1.30 | 5 | 1 | 1:21.53 | 1+3⁄4 lengths | Tyler Gaffalione |
| Sep 23, 2023 | 1 mile | Parx Dirt Mile Stakes | Listed | Parx | 0.30* | 6 | 2 | 1:38.34 | (1+3⁄4 lengths) | Tyler Gaffalione |
| Nov 4, 2023 | 6 furlongs | Breeders' Cup Sprint | I | Santa Anita | 3.10 | 8 | 2 | 1:08.34 | (1+1⁄2 lengths) | Tyler Gaffalione |
Notes:
An (*) asterisk after the odds means Gunite was the post-time favorite.
* ↑ Wagering is not allowed in Saudi Arabia. In British wagering, Gunite started at 3/1 second favorite.
* ↑ Wagering is not allowed in the United Arab Emirates. In British wagering, Gunite odds were 8/1

## Pedigree

Pedigree of Gunite, Dark Bay or Brown colt, February 3, 2019 :
| Sire Gun Runner (2013) | Candy Ride (ARG) (1999) | Ride the Rails (1991) | Cryptoclearance (1984) |
| Sire Gun Runner (2013) | Candy Ride (ARG) (1999) | Ride the Rails (1991) | Herbalesian (1969) |
| Sire Gun Runner (2013) | Candy Ride (ARG) (1999) | Candy Girl (ARG) (1990) | Candy Stripes (1982) |
| Sire Gun Runner (2013) | Candy Ride (ARG) (1999) | Candy Girl (ARG) (1990) | City Girl (ARG) (1982) |
| Sire Gun Runner (2013) | Quiet Giant (2007) | Giant's Causeway (1997) | Storm Cat (1983) |
| Sire Gun Runner (2013) | Quiet Giant (2007) | Giant's Causeway (1997) | Mariah's Storm (1991) |
| Sire Gun Runner (2013) | Quiet Giant (2007) | Quiet Dance (1993) | Quiet American (1986) |
| Sire Gun Runner (2013) | Quiet Giant (2007) | Quiet Dance (1993) | Misty Dancer (1988) |
| Dam Simple Surprise (2013) | Cowboy Cal (2005) | Giant's Causeway (1997) | Storm Cat (1983) |
| Dam Simple Surprise (2013) | Cowboy Cal (2005) | Giant's Causeway (1997) | Mariah's Storm (1991) |
| Dam Simple Surprise (2013) | Cowboy Cal (2005) | Texas Tammy (1998) | Seeking the Gold (1985) |
| Dam Simple Surprise (2013) | Cowboy Cal (2005) | Texas Tammy (1998) | Hot Novel (1986) |
| Dam Simple Surprise (2013) | Simplify (2006) | Pulpit (1994) | A.P. Indy (1989) |
| Dam Simple Surprise (2013) | Simplify (2006) | Pulpit (1994) | Preach (1989) |
| Dam Simple Surprise (2013) | Simplify (2006) | Classic Olympio (1997) | Olimpio (1988) |
| Dam Simple Surprise (2013) | Simplify (2006) | Classic Olympio (1997) | Parm Beach Dewey (1990)(family 1-l) |
Inbreeding:
* Giant's Causeway: 3S x 3D ; Storm Cat: 4S x 4D ; Mariah's Storm: 4S x 4D