News Costa Terra Wins Debut; RUNHAPPY Juvenile Next? July 1, 2021 Costa Terra (left) noses out Buckingham Prince (Credit: Coady Photography) News Costa Terra Wins Debut; RUNHAPPY Juvenile Next? July 1, 2021 By: Press Release email Share: share on facebook share on twitter share on linkedin email this article HENDERSON, KY – The 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner sired his sixth winner in his first crop of 2-year-olds as Winchell Thoroughbreds’ first-time starter Costa Terra beat Buckingham Prince by a nose in Thursday’s sixth race at Ellis Park. And there’s a very chance that Costa Terra’s next start will be in the $125,000 RUNHAPPY Ellis Park Juvenile on August 15. That’s a race Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen won in 2016 with eventual Kentucky Derby runner-up Lookin At Lee, in 2018 with Tobacco Road, and in 2019 with Rowdy Yates. Costa Terra, a chestnut like his sire, is the third baby out of the Winchell mare Teardrop, whose first foal was the stakes winner Pneumatic. Teardrop, herself a half-sister to Grade 1-winning millionaire Pyro, is a daughter of super-sire Tapit, campaigned by the Winchell family. The broodmare hails from a wildly successful female family that has produced graded stakes winners Wild Wonder, Olympio, Call Now, Cuvee, and other top horses for the Winchells. “Obviously I’m extremely excited about him getting up and winning with a Gun Runner out of a great family of the Winchells,” said Asmussen, who trained Gun Runner. “I think the sky’s the limit for this colt. It’s quite obvious that the farther he goes, the better he’ll be.” With Francisco Arrieta aboard, Costa Terra was awfully good going 5/8 of a mile in the slop in 57.41 seconds, less than a second off the 5-year-old Hoho Tow’s 56.46 set in 2006. In fourth early in the field of six, Costa Terra wore down the front-running second-time starter Buckingham Prince to win on the final stride. It was 6 1/2 lengths back to the rest of the field. Credit: Coady Photography Asmussen termed it “most likely” that Costa Terra will point for the 7-furlong RUNHAPPY Juvenile. “I think it’s very good that this colt won now, and we can be patient with him and let him fill out the frame that he has,” he said. Gun Runner won 12 of 19 starts, earning $15,988,500 before retiring to a stallion career at Three Chimneys Farm, which campaigned the horse with Ron Winchell, co-owner and co-managing partner of Kentucky Downs. Costa Terra is the fourth Gun Runner offspring to win for Asmussen and Winchell, the others being Wicked Halo (who won her debut at Texas’ Lone Star Park and then was third in last Saturday’s Debutante at Churchill Downs), Red Run, and Gunite. “Everything about them gives us the impression that the farther they go and the older they get, the better they’ll be,” Asmussen said. “That’s what’s so exciting. Gun Runner was an excellent 2-year-old, an extremely good 3-year-old and an unbeatable 4-year-old.”
Kentucky Downs and Del Mar Picks & Previews | Blinkers Off 683 The Racing Dudes preview and give picks for this weekend’s… Read More
Kentucky Downs Pick 5 Preview | The Magic Mike Show 565 The Magic Mike Show guys preview & give their tickets… Read More
College Football Picks & NFL Tips | Dudes Who Bet Sports 205 Aaron & Papa Dude give their College Football picks for… Read More
Pacific Classic 2024 Picks and Rapid-Fire | Blinkers Off 682 The Racing Dudes preview and give picks for Saturday’s $1… Read More
Del Mar Pick 5 Preview | The Magic Mike Show 564 The Magic Mike Show guys preview & give their tickets… Read More
Kentucky Downs Picks | Turf Sprint Stakes 2024 [Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint] Aaron previews the 2024 Turf Sprint Stakes (G2) at Kentucky… Read More
Kentucky Downs FREE Win Picks | September 7, 2024 Get our FREE win picks at Kentucky Downs on September… Read More
Del Mar FREE Win Picks | September 7, 2024 Get our FREE win picks at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club… Read More
Kentucky Downs Exacta Picks & Plays | Turf Cup Stakes 2024 [Breeders’ Cup Turf] Dr. Miranda gives her exacta picks & plays from the… Read More
Rocket Picks 🚀: Del Mar, Kentucky Downs, & Gulfstream Park for September 7, 2024 Let’s kick off another big day of horse racing with… Read More