According to most experts, the Alabama Stakes Presented by Keeneland Sales (USA-G1) was Counting Stars’s race to lose. According to My Gun’s Loaded, it was her race to win. Never far off the moderate pace set by the favorite, My Gun’s Loaded raced widest of all through the far turn and battled with Counting Stars and Measure through the stretch to secure victory by a neck over the latter filly; Counting Stars was third, another length and a half back. Now a Grade 1 winner in her stakes debut, the lightly raced daughter of Gun Runner remains unbeaten in three starts at 3, is three-for-four lifetime, and has earned US$460,500.
Bred by Corser Thoroughbreds, My Gun’s Loaded is the 15th top-level winner and 61st stakes winner sired by Gun Runner from his first five crops of racing age. The 2017 American Horse of the Year, Gun Runner is also responsible for this year’s Longines Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1) winner, Always a Runner, and Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (USA-G1) winner Further Ado, along with 11 other stakes winners of 2026.
My Gun’s Loaded is the fourth foal and first winner out of the stakes-placed Congrats mare Strive, a mare that Corser Thoroughbreds purchased for US$220,000, covered by City of Light, from the 2019 Keeneland November mixed sale. A half sister to Grade 3-placed stakes winner Hip Hop N Jazz (by Speightstown), Strive is out of 2007 Arlington Matron Handicap (USA-G3) winner Solo Survivor (by Pleasant Tap), a half sister to 1995 Ladies Handicap (USA-G2) winner Transient Trend.
Solo Survivor, in turn, is out of Grade 3-placed restricted stakes winner Dactique (by d’Accord), whose half sister Nastique (by Naskra) won four Grade 1 races during her career before producing 1998 Honey Bee Handicap (USA-G3) winner Thunder Kitten (by Storm Cat) and multiple Japanese stakes winner Nobo True (by Broad Brush). Through Thunder Kitten, Nastique is the second dam of 2008 Ribbesdale Stakes (ENG-G2) winner Michita (by Dynaformer) 2014 Diamond Stakes (IRE-G3) winner and Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) third Cat O’Mountain (by Street Cry), and Group 3-placed listed stakes winner Willing Foe (by Dynaformer). Other Nastique daughters include Teakabu (by Woodman), dam of 2014 Mexican champion 2-year-old filly Heakabu; Painted Lady (by Broad Brush), dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Skylighter (by Sky Mesa), listed stakes winner Speckled (by Street Cry), and stakes winner Cave Hill (by Frosted); and Kristique (by Kris S.), whose son War Affair (by O’Reilly) earned six championship titles in Singapore including 2013/14 Horse of the Year.
Returning to Dactique, she is also a half sister to Amanzimtoti (by Accipiter), dam of 1996 J & B Met (SAF-G1) winner La Fabulous (by Lustra) and second dam of 2001 Gold Medallion Stakes (SAF-G1) winner Rip Curl (by National Emblem). Dactique and her siblings are out of unraced La Fantastique, a Le Fabuleux half sister to 1972 American champion sprinter Chou Croute (by Lt. Stevens).
Although Counting Stars still has the resume to be considered the leader in the American 3-year-old filly division, My Gun’s Loaded now has the prospective divisional champion in her sights and may pick her off if she can defeat older females in her next start, most likely either the Beldame Stakes (USA-G2) at Belmont or the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (USA-G1) at Keeneland. The latter would probably be the tougher spot, given that it offers a purse of US$650,000 against one of US$250,000 for the Beldame, but it would also provide My Gun’s Loaded with a start over the same course and distance as the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (USA-G1) as well as possibly earning the long-striding filly a second Grade 1 win. Regardless of what happens next out, My Gun’s Loaded certainly has the firepower to be a contender and has added an additional spark to her Eclipse Award division.
Bred by Corser Thoroughbreds, My Gun’s Loaded is the 15th top-level winner and 61st stakes winner sired by Gun Runner from his first five crops of racing age. The 2017 American Horse of the Year, Gun Runner is also responsible for this year’s Longines Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1) winner, Always a Runner, and Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (USA-G1) winner Further Ado, along with 11 other stakes winners of 2026.
My Gun’s Loaded is the fourth foal and first winner out of the stakes-placed Congrats mare Strive, a mare that Corser Thoroughbreds purchased for US$220,000, covered by City of Light, from the 2019 Keeneland November mixed sale. A half sister to Grade 3-placed stakes winner Hip Hop N Jazz (by Speightstown), Strive is out of 2007 Arlington Matron Handicap (USA-G3) winner Solo Survivor (by Pleasant Tap), a half sister to 1995 Ladies Handicap (USA-G2) winner Transient Trend.
Solo Survivor, in turn, is out of Grade 3-placed restricted stakes winner Dactique (by d’Accord), whose half sister Nastique (by Naskra) won four Grade 1 races during her career before producing 1998 Honey Bee Handicap (USA-G3) winner Thunder Kitten (by Storm Cat) and multiple Japanese stakes winner Nobo True (by Broad Brush). Through Thunder Kitten, Nastique is the second dam of 2008 Ribbesdale Stakes (ENG-G2) winner Michita (by Dynaformer) 2014 Diamond Stakes (IRE-G3) winner and Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) third Cat O’Mountain (by Street Cry), and Group 3-placed listed stakes winner Willing Foe (by Dynaformer). Other Nastique daughters include Teakabu (by Woodman), dam of 2014 Mexican champion 2-year-old filly Heakabu; Painted Lady (by Broad Brush), dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Skylighter (by Sky Mesa), listed stakes winner Speckled (by Street Cry), and stakes winner Cave Hill (by Frosted); and Kristique (by Kris S.), whose son War Affair (by O’Reilly) earned six championship titles in Singapore including 2013/14 Horse of the Year.
Returning to Dactique, she is also a half sister to Amanzimtoti (by Accipiter), dam of 1996 J & B Met (SAF-G1) winner La Fabulous (by Lustra) and second dam of 2001 Gold Medallion Stakes (SAF-G1) winner Rip Curl (by National Emblem). Dactique and her siblings are out of unraced La Fantastique, a Le Fabuleux half sister to 1972 American champion sprinter Chou Croute (by Lt. Stevens).
Although Counting Stars still has the resume to be considered the leader in the American 3-year-old filly division, My Gun’s Loaded now has the prospective divisional champion in her sights and may pick her off if she can defeat older females in her next start, most likely either the Beldame Stakes (USA-G2) at Belmont or the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (USA-G1) at Keeneland. The latter would probably be the tougher spot, given that it offers a purse of US$650,000 against one of US$250,000 for the Beldame, but it would also provide My Gun’s Loaded with a start over the same course and distance as the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (USA-G1) as well as possibly earning the long-striding filly a second Grade 1 win. Regardless of what happens next out, My Gun’s Loaded certainly has the firepower to be a contender and has added an additional spark to her Eclipse Award division.
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