Chip Honcho Earns Asmussen Third Gun Runner Title; Hit Parade Survives Inquiry to Win Untapable Stakes

By Kevin Kilroy —-

Chip Honcho Earns Asmussen Third Gun Runner Title

NEW ORLEANS (Dec. 20, 2025) — Leland Ackerley Racing’s Chip Honcho prevailed in a thrilling edition of the $100,000 Gun Runner Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, giving trainer Steve Asmussen his third victory in the race’s five runnings.

Ridden by Paco Lopez, Chip Honcho covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.76, beating Liberty National to the wire by three-quarters of a length. After leading throughout, Crown the Buckeye held on to finish third.

Breaking cleanly, Chip Honcho settled to the leader’s outside, keeping pacesetter Crown the Buckeye in his sights through sharp fractions of :23.62 and :46.66. Liberty National, who broke a touch slow after being knocked at the start, gathered himself near the back of the field and steadily advanced along the rail.

Holding strong through the far turn, Crown the Buckeye began to tire deep in the stretch as Chip Honcho and Liberty National continued to close. Chip Honcho made the decisive move outside the leader, while Liberty National rallied late along the rail to secure second.

With the victory, Chip Honcho earned 10 points toward the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard. Liberty National received five points for his runner-up finish, while Crown the Buckeye earned three points for finishing third. Quality Mischief ran fourth to earn two points, while Very Connected finished fifth and added one point, giving him a total of six leaderboard points.

Exiting a maiden victory at Churchill Downs going one mile, Chip Honcho proved himself at a full two turns in the Gun Runner. He joined the ranks of Epicenter and Track Phantom, Asmussen’s other two winners of the first of four local Derby preps.

Chip Honcho paid $9.80, $4.40 and $3.00.

Chip Honcho’s career record of 3-2-1-0 has earned him $150,475.

Scheduled for Jan. 17, the $250,000 Lecomte Stakes (G3) is the next stop on the Fair Grounds Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Gun Runner Quotes

Paco Lopez, jockey of winner Chip Honcho

“I had him in good position to the outside after I got him to settle. He really started setting down a nice run at the quarter pole, and I thought we could go get the leader. My horse gave everything he had.”

Brian Hernandez Jr., jockey of place finisher Liberty National

“We got knocked around out of the gates, but he overcame that pretty quickly. I don’t know if he cared for the inside. He was just a little hesitant. Just one of those learning races for a talented horse. 
He never gave up. He kept coming at them and when he finally got to the lead after the wire he took off.”

Jareth Loveberry, jockey of third-place finisher Crown the Buckeye

“He gave me everything he had. At the 16th pole, I’m like where’s the wire? I needed it. 
He put it all out there. He really did, he fought.
He heard them coming, and he dug in.”

Hit Parade Survives Inquiry to Win Untapable Stakes

NEW ORLEANS (Dec. 20, 2025) — Gary & Mary West’s homebred Hit Parade showed grit and determination to capture Saturday’s 1 mile 70-yard, $100,000 Untapable Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, surviving a steward’s inquiry following a dramatic stretch run.

Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Luis Saez, Hit Parade stopped the clock in 1:42.97, outfinishing Luv Your Neighbor by a head. The stewards reviewed late-race contact involving Hit Parade with runner-up Luv Your Neighbor and third-place finisher Pashmina, but the result stood.

Hit Parade raced professionally early, breaking sharply and finding an inside spot to track pacesetter Pashmina. Luv Your Neighbor settled near the back before setting down a strong rail rally coming out of the far turn. Hit Parade shifted out at the top of the stretch, and as she passed a tiring Pashmina, came in as Luv Your Neighbor was rallying to the leader’s inside. The filly and Luv Your Neighbor made contact, squeezing Pashmina back.

Luv Your Neighbor, ridden by Axel Concepcion, took a brief awkward step after drawing contact with Hit Parade but stayed on resolutely, displaying remarkable athleticism to maintain balance while finishing strongly for second.

Sent off as the post-time favorite, Hit Parade returned $6.60, $4.20 and $3.20.

With the victory, Hit Parade earned 10 points toward the Road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard. Luv Your Neighbor received five points for her runner-up finish, while Pashmina earned three points for third. Have Faith ran fourth to earn two points, and Actis finished fifth, earning one point.

Hit Parade’s career record now stands at 4-3-0-1 with $147,980 in earnings.

Scheduled for Jan. 17, the $150,000 Silverbulletday Stakes is the next stop on the Fair Grounds Road to the Kentucky Oaks.

Untapable Quotes

Luis Saez, jockey of winner Hit Parade

“She broke nice and relaxed for a perfect trip. She was a little green when we went for the lead but she quickly got going straight again and fought hard for the win.”

Axel Concepcion, jockey of place-finisher Luv Your Neighbor

“Coming into this race I really liked the way she was training. She did everything right stretching out for the first time. We took contact from the winner and she kept fighting. I’m proud of my filly.”

Ben Curtis, jockey of third-palace finisher, Pashmina

“I didn’t want to be on the lead, really, but she broke so sharp. 
I mean, we went 24. And she’s only had the two runs, and she is still very green. And the last day, I got a lead all the way past the quarter pole, and then she set sail. Today I just felt like the greenness caught up with her at the quarter pole. She waited for them to go, and then, you know, I had to take a significant snatch out of her.
She’s a nice filly, I’d expect her to probably beat them again, you know, if they were to run against each other again.”

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About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, one of the nation’s oldest racetracks, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, La, Fair Grounds, which is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN), also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 13 off-track betting parlors throughout Southeast Louisiana. The 154th Thoroughbred Racing Season–highlighted by the 113th running of the Louisiana Derby–will run from Nov. 20, 2025 through March 22, 2026. More information is available online at www.fgno.com.