Early Voting (USA)
March 7, 2019 – Living
Gun Runner (USA) x Amour d’Ete (USA), by Tiznow (USA)
Family 9-b
March 7, 2019 – Living
Gun Runner (USA) x Amour d’Ete (USA), by Tiznow (USA)
Family 9-b
Early Voting became the first Classic winner for Gun Runner when he won the 2022 Preakness Stakes (USA-G1) over eventual American champion 3-year-old male Epicenter. The two colts met again in the Jim Dandy Stakes (USA-G2), and the Runhappy Travers Stakes (USA-G1), with Epicenter winning both. Early Voting was eased in the latter race, and his retirement to stud was announced shortly afterward. The young stallion encountered an unusual reproductive problem partway through his first season, but following treatment, was able to return to breeding.
Race record
6 starts, 3 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds, US$1,372,500
2022:
Assessments
Rated at 118 pounds in the Intermediate category on the 2022 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, 22 pounds below overall highweight Flightline (the American Horse of the Year) and 7 pounds below the best 3-year-old male on dirt, American champion 3-year-old male Epicenter.
As an individual
A strong, handsome dark bay or brown horse with a nice shoulder and hip, Early Voting stands 16.1 hands. He can be faulted for somewhat upright front pasterns and smallish feet, the latter a common trait among the descendants of his paternal grandsire, Candy Ride.
As a stallion
Early Voting entered stud in 2023. His first foal, a filly produced from the Outwork mare Credit Suspended, arrived at New York’s Rockridge Stud on January 18, 2024.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Early Voting was bred by Three Chimneys Farm. As a yearling, he was sold to Triphammer Farm for US$200,000 through the 2020 Keeneland September sale. He was owned by Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables during his racing career and was trained by Chad Brown. He was ridden to his Preakness Stakes win by José Ortiz. Early Voting entered stud in Kentucky in 2023 at Ashford Stud. While he readily covered mares and had excellent fertility, he developed an inability to ejaculate normally and had to be removed from service prior to the end of the breeding season. After being taken over by a consortium of owners in late 2023, the young stallion was treated by veterinary reproduction specialist Dr. Padraig O'Casaigh. Early Voting re-embarked on stud duty at Taylor Made Farm in 2024.
Pedigree notes
Early Voting is inbred 4x3 to two-time American champion sire Storm Cat. He is out of Amour d’Ete, an unraced full sister to 2017 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (USA-G2) winner Irap and a half sister to 2004 American champion sprinter and leading American sire Speightstown (by Gone West). Amour d’Ete is also a half sister to Gone Purrfect (by Gone West), dam of 2016 Grey Stakes (CAN-G3) winner Golden Hawk (by Tapit), and to Cableknit (by Unbridled’s Song), dam of 2019 Maktoum Challenge Round 3 (UAE-G1) winner Capezzano (by Bernardini) and second dam of Grade 2 winner Phileas Fogg.
Amour d’Ete and her siblings were produced from 1995 Canadian champion 2-year-old filly Silken Cat, whose half sister Chief Appeal (by Valid Appeal) is the dam of listed stakes winner Turkappeal (by Turkoman) and the second dam of 2008 Spinaway Stakes (USA-G1) winner Mani Bhavan, Grade 2 winner Hear the Ghost, and Canadian Grade 3 winner Pink Champagne. Silken Cat is also a half sister to Meadow Silk (by Meadowlake), dam of 2006 Indiana Derby (USA-G2) winner Star Dabbler (by Saint Ballado) and stakes winner Run Production (by Saint Ballado), and to Tropical Rain (by Danzig Connection), dam of multiple Puerto Rican stakes winner Tropical Way (by Way West). In addition, Silken Cat is a half sister to Pongee (by In Reality), second dam of 2003 Puerto Rican 2-year-old male Mister Fanucci.
Silken Doll, the dam of Silken Cat, was a stakes winner in her own right and is a Chieftain half sister to 1995 Turf Classic Invitational Stakes (USA-G1) winner Turk Passer (by Turkoman). She is also a half sister to Silken Light (by Majestic Light), dam of restricted stakes winner Incitatus (by Batonnier). The sisters' dam Insilca (by Buckpasser) never raced but is a half sister to multiple Grade 1-placed Copernica (by Nijinsky II), dam of 1987 Hopeful Stakes (USA-G1) winner Crusader Sword (by Damascus) and French stakes winner Copper Butterfly (by Blushing Groom). Another half sister to Insilca, Cherokee Phoenix (by Nijinsky II) is the dam of 1988 Flamingo Stakes (USA-G1) winner Cherokee Colony (by Pleasant Colony) and of Grade 3 winner Risen Colony (by Pleasant Colony).
Books and media
NBC Sports’s coverage of Early Voting’s Preakness win can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1RtNmxc1Cw.
Fun facts
Last updated: July 4, 2025
Race record
6 starts, 3 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds, US$1,372,500
2022:
- Won Preakness Stakes (USA-G1, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- Won Withers Stakes (USA-G3, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino (USA-G2, 9FD, Aqueduct)
Assessments
Rated at 118 pounds in the Intermediate category on the 2022 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, 22 pounds below overall highweight Flightline (the American Horse of the Year) and 7 pounds below the best 3-year-old male on dirt, American champion 3-year-old male Epicenter.
As an individual
A strong, handsome dark bay or brown horse with a nice shoulder and hip, Early Voting stands 16.1 hands. He can be faulted for somewhat upright front pasterns and smallish feet, the latter a common trait among the descendants of his paternal grandsire, Candy Ride.
As a stallion
Early Voting entered stud in 2023. His first foal, a filly produced from the Outwork mare Credit Suspended, arrived at New York’s Rockridge Stud on January 18, 2024.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Early Voting was bred by Three Chimneys Farm. As a yearling, he was sold to Triphammer Farm for US$200,000 through the 2020 Keeneland September sale. He was owned by Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables during his racing career and was trained by Chad Brown. He was ridden to his Preakness Stakes win by José Ortiz. Early Voting entered stud in Kentucky in 2023 at Ashford Stud. While he readily covered mares and had excellent fertility, he developed an inability to ejaculate normally and had to be removed from service prior to the end of the breeding season. After being taken over by a consortium of owners in late 2023, the young stallion was treated by veterinary reproduction specialist Dr. Padraig O'Casaigh. Early Voting re-embarked on stud duty at Taylor Made Farm in 2024.
Pedigree notes
Early Voting is inbred 4x3 to two-time American champion sire Storm Cat. He is out of Amour d’Ete, an unraced full sister to 2017 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (USA-G2) winner Irap and a half sister to 2004 American champion sprinter and leading American sire Speightstown (by Gone West). Amour d’Ete is also a half sister to Gone Purrfect (by Gone West), dam of 2016 Grey Stakes (CAN-G3) winner Golden Hawk (by Tapit), and to Cableknit (by Unbridled’s Song), dam of 2019 Maktoum Challenge Round 3 (UAE-G1) winner Capezzano (by Bernardini) and second dam of Grade 2 winner Phileas Fogg.
Amour d’Ete and her siblings were produced from 1995 Canadian champion 2-year-old filly Silken Cat, whose half sister Chief Appeal (by Valid Appeal) is the dam of listed stakes winner Turkappeal (by Turkoman) and the second dam of 2008 Spinaway Stakes (USA-G1) winner Mani Bhavan, Grade 2 winner Hear the Ghost, and Canadian Grade 3 winner Pink Champagne. Silken Cat is also a half sister to Meadow Silk (by Meadowlake), dam of 2006 Indiana Derby (USA-G2) winner Star Dabbler (by Saint Ballado) and stakes winner Run Production (by Saint Ballado), and to Tropical Rain (by Danzig Connection), dam of multiple Puerto Rican stakes winner Tropical Way (by Way West). In addition, Silken Cat is a half sister to Pongee (by In Reality), second dam of 2003 Puerto Rican 2-year-old male Mister Fanucci.
Silken Doll, the dam of Silken Cat, was a stakes winner in her own right and is a Chieftain half sister to 1995 Turf Classic Invitational Stakes (USA-G1) winner Turk Passer (by Turkoman). She is also a half sister to Silken Light (by Majestic Light), dam of restricted stakes winner Incitatus (by Batonnier). The sisters' dam Insilca (by Buckpasser) never raced but is a half sister to multiple Grade 1-placed Copernica (by Nijinsky II), dam of 1987 Hopeful Stakes (USA-G1) winner Crusader Sword (by Damascus) and French stakes winner Copper Butterfly (by Blushing Groom). Another half sister to Insilca, Cherokee Phoenix (by Nijinsky II) is the dam of 1988 Flamingo Stakes (USA-G1) winner Cherokee Colony (by Pleasant Colony) and of Grade 3 winner Risen Colony (by Pleasant Colony).
Books and media
NBC Sports’s coverage of Early Voting’s Preakness win can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1RtNmxc1Cw.
Fun facts
- Prior to treating Early Voting, Dr. Casaigh had gained fame in veterinary circles by developing a treatment for inability to ejaculate in male kakapos. The flightless parrots, which (like Casaigh) are native to New Zealand, are relatively prone to anejaculatory syndrome, which is rare in horses, and Dr. Casaigh’s experience in developing diagnostic and treatment protocols for the birds proved invaluable in diagnosing and treating Early Voting with sufficient success that the horse was able to return to breeding.
Last updated: July 4, 2025