Paladin Exits Remsen Win in Good Shape

[Wandering Eyes]

Despite losing a shoe in Saturday's GII Remsen Stakes, Paladin (Gun Runner) came out of his win no worse for wear, according to trainer Chad Brown on Sunday.

“He looks good,” confirmed Brown. “He lost his right front shoe in the race, so we'll give him a few days and get him down to Payson Park next week.”

“Overall, he looks like he's in good shape. It's nice to see that he got a lot of experience that will help him down the road. This horse is for real. He's a serious horse, and to get his career started with two wins off the bat–we couldn't ask for more.”

Demoted to second behind Renegade (Into Mischief) in his career debut going a mile at the Big A on Oct. 17, the chestnut turned the table on that rival when adding an eighth of a mile while taking on stakes company for the first time in the Remsen.

The $1.9 million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale purchase is campaigned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Brook Smith and Summer Wind Equine, who also bred the colt. The Coolmore partners and Smith also campaigned Champion 3-year-old and last year's GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Sierra Leone (Gun Runner).

“He's running faster figures than any of [Brown's Classic runners] in the past,” Brown said. “He's a little ahead of where they were to be honest. He's got good forward, positional speed, all things that are very good things to work with going forward.”

Sierra Leone was retired from racing after his runner-up finish in this year's Classic and will stand the 2026 season at Ashford Stud.

“It's rewarding because you send a great horse home, and you hope to have a replacement right away,” Brown said. “They've supported me with plenty of expensive prospects in recent years, so to be able to keep it going and have a new, fresh horse on the Derby trail and a potential exciting stallion prospect – which is the broader plan here–is [exciting]. I feel I am doing my part in keeping something in the pipeline for the whole big picture here.”

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