Always a Runner had a bout with pneumonia as a 2-year-old and her racing career was in jeopardy.But once she was on the track, trainer Chad Brown had a feeling he had something special with the Gun Runner filly.And she proved him right on Friday night.Under the lights at Churchill Downs, Always a Runner’s journey from the illness came full circle into the winners’ circle at the Grade I Kentucky Oaks. Always a Runner stormed down the center of the stretch, took the lead with about a half a furlong left and captured the Oaks before a crowd of 103,290 fans in jury her third career start.“She was in a clinic with fluid in her lungs, and the wonderful team of veterinarians got her back to me,” Brown said. “This filly is very resilient, very tough, as you saw here. With only two starts to do this, overcome pneumonia and patient owners. They always let me lead, and we always put the horse first and she took us here.”It was the first Oaks win for Brown, who will saddle Emerging Market also in his third career start tomorrow in the Kentucky Derby.The ownership group includes Three Chimneys Farm in Woodford County, along with Douglas Scharbauer. It was the first Oaks win for both.With jockey Jose Ortiz aboard, Always a Runner had a “dream trip” around the Downs oval. Explora set the pace and then was overtaken by Meaning with about a sixteenth of a mile left in the race before Always a Runner came on the outside of both and stormed to the wire.Always a Runner paid $13.04, $7.46 and $5.44, while Meaning was second and Counting Stars was third.Video below: A look at the Kentucky Oaks Garland of LiliesIt was the first time that Ortiz had ridden Always a Runner and marked his fifth winner of the day.“I was happy to be in the position I was in,” Ortiz said. “It was a dream trip. . . . Chad was confident in her. He knew what he had. He told me, ‘Just go out there, get to know her in the work and you’re going to feel like a sports car, like she’s a Ferrari.’ And he was right.”Always a Runner was ready to run in New York as a 2-year-old when she came down with the pneumonia.“It was a very serious case of it,” Brown said. “More serious than Emerging Market. Those things when horses have serious setbacks have to take things as they come, day to day, week to week. Her career was really up in the air. She could have easily never run.”Bur she did overcome it. Brown credited Dr. Rodney Belgrave of Mid-Atlantic Equine with getting her back on track.“The fact that not only did she overcome it but appear today as undefeated horse is remarkable,” Brown said. “I’ve had a lot of horses in my barn overcome some things, but that is up on top of the list.”Always a Runner made her debut on Feb. 6 at Tampa Bay Downs, winning at a mile and 40 yards in her maiden race by more than six lengths. She then won the Gazelle Stakes in her second race of her career before the Oaks.“I put stuff in front of her that I thought she could do,” Brown said. “You try to get the horses here the best you can in position to win.“You don’t want to jeopardize the rest of their season. It’s a fine line that you walk.”But it worked out this time. Now. Brown is hoping it happens again. He will try for the Oaks-Derby Double. Kenny McPeek did it two years ago and Brown will try with Emerging Market.“If it’s working we’re going to try to keep it going,” Brown said. “I am hoping tomorrow we can do the same.”
Always a Runner had a bout with pneumonia as a 2-year-old and her racing career was in jeopardy.
But once she was on the track, trainer Chad Brown had a feeling he had something special with the Gun Runner filly.
And she proved him right on Friday night.
Under the lights at Churchill Downs, Always a Runner’s journey from the illness came full circle into the winners’ circle at the Grade I Kentucky Oaks. Always a Runner stormed down the center of the stretch, took the lead with about a half a furlong left and captured the Oaks before a crowd of 103,290 fans in jury her third career start.
“She was in a clinic with fluid in her lungs, and the wonderful team of veterinarians got her back to me,” Brown said. “This filly is very resilient, very tough, as you saw here. With only two starts to do this, overcome pneumonia and patient owners. They always let me lead, and we always put the horse first and she took us here.”
It was the first Oaks win for Brown, who will saddle Emerging Market also in his third career start tomorrow in the Kentucky Derby.
The ownership group includes Three Chimneys Farm in Woodford County, along with Douglas Scharbauer. It was the first Oaks win for both.
With jockey Jose Ortiz aboard, Always a Runner had a “dream trip” around the Downs oval. Explora set the pace and then was overtaken by Meaning with about a sixteenth of a mile left in the race before Always a Runner came on the outside of both and stormed to the wire.
Always a Runner paid $13.04, $7.46 and $5.44, while Meaning was second and Counting Stars was third.
Video below: A look at the Kentucky Oaks Garland of Lilies
It was the first time that Ortiz had ridden Always a Runner and marked his fifth winner of the day.
“I was happy to be in the position I was in,” Ortiz said. “It was a dream trip. . . . Chad was confident in her. He knew what he had. He told me, ‘Just go out there, get to know her in the work and you’re going to feel like a sports car, like she’s a Ferrari.’ And he was right.”
Always a Runner was ready to run in New York as a 2-year-old when she came down with the pneumonia.
“It was a very serious case of it,” Brown said. “More serious than Emerging Market. Those things when horses have serious setbacks have to take things as they come, day to day, week to week. Her career was really up in the air. She could have easily never run.”
Bur she did overcome it. Brown credited Dr. Rodney Belgrave of Mid-Atlantic Equine with getting her back on track.
“The fact that not only did she overcome it but appear today as undefeated horse is remarkable,” Brown said. “I’ve had a lot of horses in my barn overcome some things, but that is up on top of the list.”
Always a Runner made her debut on Feb. 6 at Tampa Bay Downs, winning at a mile and 40 yards in her maiden race by more than six lengths. She then won the Gazelle Stakes in her second race of her career before the Oaks.
“I put stuff in front of her that I thought she could do,” Brown said. “You try to get the horses here the best you can in position to win.
“You don’t want to jeopardize the rest of their season. It’s a fine line that you walk.”
But it worked out this time. Now. Brown is hoping it happens again. He will try for the Oaks-Derby Double. Kenny McPeek did it two years ago and Brown will try with Emerging Market.
“If it’s working we’re going to try to keep it going,” Brown said. “I am hoping tomorrow we can do the same.”
