Source: The TDN. 09/16/2026 – Credit: Jessica Martini
BRED AND RAISED AT WINCHESTER FARM
“Gun Runner’s 10th seven-figure yearling at the September sale
was his most expensive when bloodstock agent Ben McElroy bid
$3.1 million to acquire a colt by the Three Chimneys stallion (hip
313) on behalf of Kia Joorabchian’s AMO Racing. Bred by Rosa
Colasanti and consigned by Eaton Sales, the chestnut is a full
brother to two-time Grade I winner Locked, who stood his first
season at stud this year at Gainesway Farm.
“We showed Kia the horse and he just loved him right from the
get-go,” McElroy said. “Obviously, he’s by a sensational sire in
Gun Runner. The full brother is at stud. With what we paid
today, we better hope for the same result.”
Asked if he was expecting the colt’s $3.1-million price tag,
McElroy said, “No. But Kia was very strong. He drove the bus on
that one. The horse obviously made a ton of sense and he’s a
beautiful physical. When you get up to those numbers, nobody
can predict.”
Hip 313 is out of Luna Rosa (Malibu Moon), a half-sister to
multiple Grade I winner Gabby’s Golden Gal (Medaglia d’Oro)
and multiple graded winner Always a Princess (Leroidesanimaux
{Brz}).
“He will go down to Ocala and get broke,” McElroy said.
“Obviously, we will take our time with him. Kia will pick out a
trainer for him, probably April or May next year. I can tell
Wesley [Ward] was very high on him, but there will be plenty of
people putting their hats in the ring next year.”
Colasanti, a Roman restaurateur, raced Luna Rosa’s dam
Gabriellina Giof (GB) (Ashkalani {Ire}) before selling her Arnold
Zetcher to race in the U.S. She bought the mare back for
$75,000 at the 2008 Keeneland January sale.
Reiley McDonald’s Eaton Sales sold Locked for $425,000 at the
2022 Keeneland September sale.
Of the stallion’s yearling full-brother, McDonald said, “He’s an
absolute specimen of a horse. I haven’t seen a prettier Gun
Runner ever. He showed 204 times and every time he moved,
he had a fluid, strong, easy movement. He had a great mind,
handled the sale really well. With that pedigree, I’m not
surprised he brought that much, but you never go in thinking
that much.”
