Gunderson goes to $800,000 for well-bred Gun Runner Colt

A chestnut yearling colt from Rifle runner cataloged as Hip 114, sold for $800,000 to MWG on the opening day of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale on January 12. The colt became the best-selling yearling at the January Sale in 11 years.

Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings and Spry Family bred the colt from the Grade 2 winner Deceptive vision (AP Indy), making the yearling a half-brother to ranked winner Ancient Peace. Deceptive Vision is a full sister to the 2009 Canadian Champion 3-Year-Old Male and winner of the Queen’s Plate Eye of the leopard . Hill ‘n’ Dale purchased the mare at the 2021 Keeneland January Sale for $900,000, in foal to War front .

“He was always very good, we were very excited when we got into sales,” says Jes Sikura of Hill ‘n’ Dale. “I know there was a lot of popularity. … (The price was) probably about what we expected. There’s a lot of things going on in that family, so we’re happy with the outcome and curious to see what his plans are for the future.”

MWG’s Marc Gunderson, who operates Twin Oaks Bloodstock, signed for a total of 12 horses for a total of $2,977,000 during the first day of the January sale, including Way to Be Marie, a 5-year-old mare by Not this time for $750,000. The multiple-rated mare was offered by Taylor Made Sales Agency as a racing or broodmare. He also bought the multiple stakes winning one Curl mare Valid for $300,000 and stakes-placed Murky, in foal to Muth for $300,000; among others.

“I have about four Gun Runners in training in Ocala right now, preparing for the future,” Gunderson said. “The ones I like all look the same. They’re athletic and guess what? He looked the same, and I couldn’t turn it down.”

Gunderson was active at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and November Breeding Stock Sale last year. He bought 22 yearlings in September for $8,545,000; 16 of them were fillies. Gunderson was back again a few months later to impress at the November Sale, signing for 20 heads for a total of $4,895,000. He was the fourth and third largest buyer in terms of total purchases in these sales, respectively.

Gun Runner is located at Three Chimneys Farm near Midway, Ky., for an advertised fee of $250,000. The 2017 Horse of the Year and Hall of Famer has produced twelve Grade 1 winners and 16 millionaires during his meteoric rise through the stallion ranks. He finished third on the leading sires list in 2025, with his offspring earning $21,601,446. His top earner was a Grade 1 winner and sire Sierra Leone who earned just over $2.1 million this year.