Gun Bow (USA)
March 21, 1960 – December 1979
Gun Shot (GB) x Ribbons and Bows (USA), by War Admiral (USA)
Family 1-k
March 21, 1960 – December 1979
Gun Shot (GB) x Ribbons and Bows (USA), by War Admiral (USA)
Family 1-k
Best known for his rivalry with the great Kelso, Gun Bow was an uncrowned champion at 4, a horse of unquestionably high class blocked from a title by an extraordinary rival. At 5, he was very close to the top again, with injury derailing what could have been a championship campaign. He was not a successful sire but begot one horse of exceptional merit in Pistol Packer, a two-time champion in France.
Race record
42 starts, 17 wins, 8 seconds, 4 thirds, US$798,722
1963:
1964:
1965:
Honors
National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 1999)
Assessments
Rated at 113 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1963, 15 pounds below champion Chateaugay.
Co-highweighted at 136 pounds with official divisional champion and Horse of the Year Kelso on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American older males of 1964, 3 pounds above the next highest-rated horse, Mongo.
Co-highweighted at 132 pounds with Kelso and Roman Brother (the official divisional champion and Horse of the Year) on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1965, 10 pounds above the next highest-rated horse, Pia Star.
Rated second among American older males of 1964 and third among American older males of 1965 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A leggy, short-coupled bay horse standing a shade over 16 hands, Gun Bow had an excellent shoulder, a deep girth, muscular hindquarters, and a straight, correct hind leg with hocks well let down. His legs were clean and deerlike with flat bone, but his feet were not of the best. He was an intense competitor who tended to run with his head held high. He preferred to control his races from on or near the front end.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Gun Bow sired 82 winners (57.3%) and 6 stakes winners (4.2%) from 143 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Pistol Packer (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Gun Bow was bred and owned by Elizabeth Graham’s Maine Chance Farm. Following his 3-year-old season, he was purchased by Gedney Farm (Harry Albert and Mrs. John Stanley), who bought Gun Bow in a US$125,000 package deal with another Gun Shot colt, Gun Boat. Unraced at 2, he was trained through his first 10 starts by G. T. Poole and through the remainder of his 3-year-old season by A. Scotti; afterward, he was trained by Eddie Neloy. Gun Bow was syndicated for breeding purposes at a valuation of US$1 million in August 1964. He entered stud in Kentucky at Gainesway Farm in 1966. In 1974, he was exported to Japan, where he died in 1979.
Pedigree notes
Sired by the stakes-placed Hyperion horse Gun Shot, Gun Bow is outcrossed through five generations. He is a full brother to Miss Gun Bow, second dam of two-time Puerto Rican champion Chelimar and third dam of 2000 Puerto Rican champion 3-year-old male Don Piero and 2003 Venezuelan champion juvenile filly Certeza. He is a half brother to stakes-placed Streamer (by Jet Jewel), dam of stakes winner Volatile Gal (by Explodent), and to Lace Collar (by Majestic Prince), dam of multiple restricted stakes winner Blackberry (by What Luck).
Gun Bow is out of Ribbons and Bows, who was unplaced in three starts. She was the only produce of any significance from the Bull Lea mare Evening Thrill, who likewise failed to win or place in seven starts. A half sister to Kerry Blue (by Bull Dog), dam of 1953 Golden Poppy Handicap winner Schatzi (by Heliopolis), Evening Thrill, in turn, is out of the unraced St. Germans mare Decolte, whose half sister Luminosa (by Blue Larkspur) is the dam of the minor stakes winner Hard Lu (by Hard Tack).
Books and movies
Gun Bow's rivalry with Kelso was featured as the 11th chapter of Horse Racing's Greatest Rivalries (2008, Eclipse Press), a compilation produced by the staff of The Blood-Horse.
Fun facts
Last updated: August 15, 2023
Race record
42 starts, 17 wins, 8 seconds, 4 thirds, US$798,722
1963:
- Won Narragansett Special (USA, 9.5FD, Narragansett Park)
- 2nd Benjamin Franklin Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Garden State)
1964:
- Won Woodward Stakes (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Whitney S. (USA, 9FD, SAR)
- Won Washington Handicap (USA, 9FD, Arlington Park)
- Won Brooklyn Handicap (USA, 10FD, Aqueduct; new track record 1:59-3/5)
- Won Charles H. Strub Stakes (USA, 10FD, Santa Anita)
- Won San Antonio Handicap (USA, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Gulfstream Park Handicap (USA, 10FD, Gulfstream Park)
- Won San Fernando Stakes (second division) (USA, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Washington D.C. International (USA, 12FT, Laurel)
- 2nd Man o' War Stakes (USA, 13FT, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Aqueduct Stakes (USA, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd John B. Campbell Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Bowie)
- 3rd Monmouth Handicap (USA, 10FD, Monmouth)
- 3rd Carter Handicap (USA, 7FD, Aqueduct)
1965:
- Won Metropolitan Handicap (USA, 8FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Donn Handicap (USA, 9FD, Gulfstream Park)
- Won San Antonio Handicap (USA, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Massachusetts Handicap (USA, 10FD, Suffolk)
- 3rd Gulfstream Park Handicap (USA, 10FD, Gulfstream Park)
Honors
National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 1999)
Assessments
Rated at 113 pounds on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1963, 15 pounds below champion Chateaugay.
Co-highweighted at 136 pounds with official divisional champion and Horse of the Year Kelso on the Daily Racing Form’s Free Handicap for American older males of 1964, 3 pounds above the next highest-rated horse, Mongo.
Co-highweighted at 132 pounds with Kelso and Roman Brother (the official divisional champion and Horse of the Year) on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1965, 10 pounds above the next highest-rated horse, Pia Star.
Rated second among American older males of 1964 and third among American older males of 1965 by The Blood-Horse.
As an individual
A leggy, short-coupled bay horse standing a shade over 16 hands, Gun Bow had an excellent shoulder, a deep girth, muscular hindquarters, and a straight, correct hind leg with hocks well let down. His legs were clean and deerlike with flat bone, but his feet were not of the best. He was an intense competitor who tended to run with his head held high. He preferred to control his races from on or near the front end.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Gun Bow sired 82 winners (57.3%) and 6 stakes winners (4.2%) from 143 named foals.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 3rd on the French general sire list in 1971.
Notable progeny
Pistol Packer (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Gun Bow was bred and owned by Elizabeth Graham’s Maine Chance Farm. Following his 3-year-old season, he was purchased by Gedney Farm (Harry Albert and Mrs. John Stanley), who bought Gun Bow in a US$125,000 package deal with another Gun Shot colt, Gun Boat. Unraced at 2, he was trained through his first 10 starts by G. T. Poole and through the remainder of his 3-year-old season by A. Scotti; afterward, he was trained by Eddie Neloy. Gun Bow was syndicated for breeding purposes at a valuation of US$1 million in August 1964. He entered stud in Kentucky at Gainesway Farm in 1966. In 1974, he was exported to Japan, where he died in 1979.
Pedigree notes
Sired by the stakes-placed Hyperion horse Gun Shot, Gun Bow is outcrossed through five generations. He is a full brother to Miss Gun Bow, second dam of two-time Puerto Rican champion Chelimar and third dam of 2000 Puerto Rican champion 3-year-old male Don Piero and 2003 Venezuelan champion juvenile filly Certeza. He is a half brother to stakes-placed Streamer (by Jet Jewel), dam of stakes winner Volatile Gal (by Explodent), and to Lace Collar (by Majestic Prince), dam of multiple restricted stakes winner Blackberry (by What Luck).
Gun Bow is out of Ribbons and Bows, who was unplaced in three starts. She was the only produce of any significance from the Bull Lea mare Evening Thrill, who likewise failed to win or place in seven starts. A half sister to Kerry Blue (by Bull Dog), dam of 1953 Golden Poppy Handicap winner Schatzi (by Heliopolis), Evening Thrill, in turn, is out of the unraced St. Germans mare Decolte, whose half sister Luminosa (by Blue Larkspur) is the dam of the minor stakes winner Hard Lu (by Hard Tack).
Books and movies
Gun Bow's rivalry with Kelso was featured as the 11th chapter of Horse Racing's Greatest Rivalries (2008, Eclipse Press), a compilation produced by the staff of The Blood-Horse.
Fun facts
- With his clocking of 1:59-3/5 in the 1964 Brooklyn Handicap, Gun Bow became the first horse to run a sub-2:00 10 furlongs on a New York track.
- Gun Bow met Kelso six times in 1964. In four of these races, the pair finished 1-2 while splitting the honors 2-2; in the Monmouth Handicap, the two were 2-3 behind Mongo with Kelso second and Gun Bow third. In the Brooklyn Handicap, Gun Bow won while Kelso (who had struck his head on the starting gate and never seemed focused) finished a badly beaten fifth.
Last updated: August 15, 2023