Run the Gantlet (1968–1986) was an American Champion

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...

racehorse and noted sire.

Background

He was out of the mare First Feather, whom owner Paul Mellon had purchased as a yearling at a then record price of $90,000 for a filly. He was sired by the 1965

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held on Armed Forces Day which is also the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs () o ...

winner,

Tom Rolfe Tom Rolfe (April 14, 1962 – June 12, 1989) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He was the leading colt of his generation in the United States, winning the Preakness Stakes and being voted American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Ho ...

, a son of the undefeated European superstar, Ribot. Run the Gantlet is a descendant of

Nearco Nearco (January 24, 1935 – June 27, 1957) was an Italian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse described by '' Thoroughbred Heritage'' as "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century" and "one of the most important sires of the century." He ...

through his damsire First Landing who won the 1959 Kentucky Derby.

Racing career

Raced under Mellon's

Rokeby Stables Rokeby Stables was an American thoroughbred racehorse breeding farm in Upperville, Virginia, involved with both steeplechase and flat racing. The operation was established in the late 1940s by Paul Mellon (1907–1999) who won the Eclipse Award ...

colors, Run the Gantlet was trained by future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Elliott Burch. Sent to the track at age two, Run the Gantlet's most important win in 1970 came in the Garden State Futurity. As a three-year-old, Run the Gantlet excelled in races on

turf Sod, also known as turf, is the upper layer of soil with the grass growing on it that is often harvested into rolls. In Australian and British English, sod is more commonly known as ''turf'', and the word "sod" is limited mainly to agricult ...

. The colt won six of his ten starts in 1971, including five stakes in a row. He emerged from the shadow of his more famous stable companion Fort Marcy to win the United Nations Handicap. He capped off the year with a six-length win on a soggy

Laurel Park Racecourse Laurel Park, formerly Laurel Race Course, is an American thoroughbred racing, thoroughbred racetrack located just outside Laurel, Maryland which opened in 1911. The track is miles in circumference. Its name was changed to "Laurel Race Course" fo ...

in the Washington, D.C. International Stakes. Run the Gantlet's 1971 performances earned him

American Champion Male Turf Horse The American Champion Male Turf Horse award is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor. The award originated in 1953 when the '' Daily Racing Form'' (DRF) named Iceberg II their champion. The Thoroughbred Racing Association (TRA) added the ca ...

honors. Run the Gantlet returned to race at age four in 1972, notably winning the

Bowling Green Handicap The Bowling Green Stakes is a Grade II American thoroughbred horse race for horses age four years old and older over a distance of miles on the turf held annually in late July at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. History The i ...

at Belmont Park.

Stud record

Retired to the Gilltown

Stud Stud may refer to the following terms: Animals * Stud (animal), an animal retained for breeding ** Stud farm, a property where livestock are bred Arts and entertainment * Stud (band), a British progressive rock group * The Stud (bar), a gay ba ...

in County Kildare, Ireland, Run the Gantlet was the sire of 39 stakes race winners, including outstanding runners such as: * Ardross (foaled 1976), multiple Group One winner in England and France, including back-to-back wins of the Ascot Gold Cup * Providential (1977), won in France and the United States including the 1979

Critérium de Saint-Cloud The Critérium de Saint-Cloud is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Saint-Cloud over a distance of 2,000 metres (about 1¼ miles), and it is sche ...

and the 1981 Washington, D.C. International Stakes * April Run (1978), multiple Group One winner in France and the United States, two-time Champion in France (1981 & 1982) and American Champion Female Turf Horse (1982) * Swiftfoot (1979), multiple stakes winner in England and Ireland including

Irish Oaks The Irish Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs (2,414 metres), and it i ...

* Commanche Run (1981), multiple stakes winner in England and Ireland including the Group One Benson & Hedges Gold Cup,

Irish Champion Stakes The Irish Champion Stakes ( Irish: Curadh-Dhuais na hÉireann) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs (2,01 ...

and the

Classic A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or highest quality, class, or rank – something that exemplifies its class. The word can be an adjective (a ''c ...

St. Leger Stakes The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a ...

. * Panamint (SAJC

Adelaide Cup The Adelaide Cup is a South Australian Jockey Club Group 2 Thoroughbred handicap horse race for three-year-olds and older, run over 3,200 metres at Morphettville Racecourse in Adelaide, Australia on the second Monday in March. Total prize mone ...

). Run the Gantlet was also the damsire of Risk Me, winner of the 1987 Group One

Grand Prix de Paris The Grand Prix de Paris is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), and i ...

and

Prix Jean Prat The Prix Jean Prat is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,400 metres (about 7 furlongs), and it is sche ...

. Run the Gantlet died at age 18 on February 28, 1986 at Jerry Hoffberger's breeding farm in

Woodbine, Maryland Woodbine is an unincorporated rural community in Howard and Carroll counties, Maryland, United States. It is part of the Baltimorean metropolitan area. It is located southeast of Frederick, west of Baltimore, north of Washington, D.C., and east ...

References

{{Reflist 1968 racehorse births 1986 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Virginia Racehorses trained in the United States American Champion racehorses Thoroughbred family 5-g Chefs-de-Race