Liberty National leads a competitive field in Saturday’s Gun Runner, Courtesy Fair Grounds Race Course
Fair Ground Press
NEW ORLEANS —Led by Brookdale Racing and Fern Circle Stables’ Liberty National, a highly competitive field of eight juvenile colts has entered the $100,000 Gun Runner Stakes, the headline event on Road to the Derby Kickoff Day, Saturday, Dec. 20, at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Run at 1 1/16 miles, the Gun Runner serves as the first local stop on the 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby, awarding 10-5-3-2-1 points to the top five finishers.
One of four stakes scheduled for Road to the Derby Kickoff Day, along with the $100,000 Untapable, $100,000 Tenacious, and $100,000 Buddy Diliberto Memorial, the Gun Runner is slated as Race 11. With a dozen carded, first post on Saturday is 12:45 p.m. CT.
Trained by Kenny McPeek, Liberty National proved best in his most recent start, scoring by 4 1/2 lengths while going 1 1/16 miles in a maiden special weight on the Stars of Tomorrow II card at Churchill Downs. For the effort, the Maxfield colt earned a last-out field-best 91 Brisnet Speed rating. It was his second career start and first attempt around two turns. Brian Hernandez Jr. has the call from post 3.
Also entered for McPeek is Dream Big Racing’s Very Connected. The full sibling to Hidden Connection has earned five points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) and a third-place effort in the Street Sense (G3).
Drawing the rail, LBD Stable’s homebred Mesquite showed ability at two turns when breaking his maiden with a visually impressive performance in early November at Churchill Downs. Trained by Cherie DeVaux, the Union Rags colt will be reunited with jockey Jose Ortiz.
A trio of contenders has been entered by trainer Brad Cox, led by Novogratz Racing Stables’ Mister Punch. The Into Mischief colt broke his maiden going away in early November at Churchill Downs. Luis Saez, in town for the stakes card, has the mount on Mister Punch, who drew post 8.
Trainer Steve Asmussen will saddle Chip Honcho in this first of four local Derby preps. After posting a strong speed figure when second to Dr. Kapur on debut, Chip Honcho won gate to wire while going one mile over a sloppy track on Nov. 20 at Churchill Downs. The Connect colt, who drew post 2, will be ridden by Paco Lopez and adds blinkers for the first time.
Six of the eight 2-year-olds in the Gun Runner broke their maiden in their most recent start, leaving dual stakes winner Crown the Buckeye as the lone two-time winner in the field. Trained by Mike Maker, the Ohio-bred has won his last two races by a combined margin of more than 16 lengths, including a 4 1/2-length victory in the Best of Ohio Juvenile at Mahoning Valley, his first start around two turns.
Here is the complete field for the Gun Runner, listed from the rail out, with jockey and trainer:
Mesquite (Ortiz, DeVaux), Chip Honcho (Lopez, Asmussen), Liberty National (Hernandez Jr., McPeek), Quality Mischief (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., Cox), Crown the Buckeye (Jareth Loveberry, Maker), Arabia Wild (Axel Concepcion, Cox), Very Connected (Colby Hernandez, McPeek), Mister Punch (Saez, Cox)
Visually Impressive Pashmina Begins Road to Oaks in Saturday’s Untapable at Fair Grounds
After a visually impressive maiden-breaking victory, Red White and Blue Racing’s Pashmina appears a logical top contender in the fifth running of the $100,000 Untapable Stakes on Saturday, Dec. 20, at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. At 1 mile 70 yards, the Untapable serves as the first local stop on the 2026 Road to the Kentucky Oaks, awarding 10-5-3-2-1 points to the top five finishers.
The Untapable attracted a field of eight 2-year-old fillies and is scheduled as Race 10 of 12 on Road to the Derby Kickoff Day.
Handled like she was much the best throughout in her local debut, Pashmina powered away to win her second career start by more than 10 lengths under jockey Ben Curtis, who retains the mount Saturday. Trained by Rob Atras, the Constitution filly drew post 7.
Drawing immediately to Pashmina’s outside is Actis, trained by Tom Amoss for Joel Politi. She is coming off a convincing victory in the My Trusty Cat Stakes at Delta Downs. The two-time-winning Hard Spun filly will be ridden by Jose Ortiz.
A major contender in Saturday’s Untapable is Gary and Mary West’s homebred Hit Parade. Trained by Brad Cox, the Street Sense filly won both of her dirt starts at Churchill Downs this fall. Luis Saez has the call.
Another multiple winner in the field is Holy Cow Stables’ Have Faith. Trained by Dallas Stewart, both of the Vekoma filly’s victories have come in sprint races. Paco Lopez will guide Have Faith from post 2.
Here is the complete field for the Untapable, listed from the rail out, with jockey and trainer:
Luv Your Neighbor (Axel Concepcion, Mike Stidham), Have Faith (Lopez, Stewart), Hit Parade (Saez, Cox), Hurricane Kate (Isaac Castillo, Jonathan Wong), Funny Bunny (Jareth Loveberry, Whit Beckman), Miss Call (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek), Pashmina (Curtis, Atras), Actis (Ortiz, Amoss)
