Winner of the Arkansas Derby (G1) and Haskell Stakes (G1), Cyberknife is from the first crop of Horse of the Year and sensational sire, Gun Runner, out of a multiple stakes-winning mare.

The strongest cross from Gun Runner has been with mares carrying Storm Cat, who appears in eight of his stakes winners. In four of those cases, the horse in question is out of Storm Cat line mare. Champion Echo Zulu is out of a mare by Menifee, a son of Harlan, also sire of Harlan’s Holiday (broodmare sire of Gun Runner graded winner Vahva, and himself sire of Into Mischief, Majesticperfection and Shanghai Bobby).

Gun Runner has multiple Grade One winner Gunite out of a mare by Cowboy Cal, a son of his own broodmare sire, Giant’s Causeway. Giant’s Causeway son, Eskendereya, is broodmare sire of a graded stakes winner by Gun Runner’s sire, Candy Ride, and one could also look to daughters of First Samurai, Creative Cause and Not This Time.

Gun Runner’s multiple graded stakes-winning and Grade One-placed Pappacap is out of a mare by Scat Daddy (by a son of Hennessy, also sire of Henny Hughes, the broodmare sire of a Candy Ride line stakes winner).

Candy Ride and sons have enjoyed exceptional success with mares by Forest Wildcat, and there is also a stakes winner by a son of Candy Ride out of a mare by D’Wildcat, a son of Forest Wildcat. There are two graded winners by Candy Ride out of mares by Storm Cat son Forestry. Storm Cat could be introduced through daughters of Shackleford (who looks particularly appealing) or Discreet Cat. Other likely Storm Cat sources that are already proven under Candy Ride include Tale of the Cat (sire of Lion Heart; grandsire of Kantharos), Stormy Atlantic and Yankee Gentleman.

The cross with mares by Tapit has already provided Gun Runner with grade one winner Society and graded stakes winners Wicked Halo, Red Route One, Disarm and Il Miracolo and stakes winner Red Run, and Tapit might also be introduced through Constitution (who would double Distorted Humor), Frosted, Cupid, Tonalist, Trappe Shot,Tapiture and Tapizar.

Tapit is by Pulpit, and stakes winner Optionality is by Gun Runner out of a mare by Pulpit, and there is also a Candy Ride grade one winner out of a mare by Pulpit son, Stroll. Gun Runner has a stakes-placed horse out of a mare by Pulpit son, Sky Mesa, and two other Pulpit sons that have pedigrees that would be interesting here are Flashback and Mr. Speaker.

Pulpit is by A.P. Indy out of a mare by Mr. Prospector and therefore bred on an identical cross to Flatter (sire of Upstart and the broodmare sire of Gun Runner’s grade one winner Taiba), and to Malibu Moon, the broodmare sire of Gun Runner stakes winner Shotgun Hottie. This also suggests mares by similarly-bred A.P. Indy sons such as Congrats(brother to Flatter) and Mineshaft (sire of Dialed In – out of a Storm Cat mare – and Discreetly Mine). It would also be worth considering mares by A.P. Indy sons Bernardini (bred very similarly to Tapit) and his son Take Charge Indy, Jump Start (out of a Storm Cat mare) and Majestic Warrior.

Tiznow has worked well with this family, including in combination with Distorted Humor, grandsire of the dam of Cyberknife, and Tiznow is also broodmare sire of Gun Runner’s classic winner, Early Voting. In addition to mares by Tiznow himself, it would be possible to consider mares by his sons, Tiz Wonderful, Colonel John (sire of a stakes winner from this family), Gemologist, Morning Line (whose dam is an A.P. Indy/Storm Cat cross) and Strong Mandate.

Gun Runner is inbred to Fappiano, a pattern that has worked very well for Candy Ride and his sons. The inbreeding in Gun Runner is far enough back to permit a third strain and Gun Runner has sired graded stakes winner, Wicked Halo, and stakes winners Red Run, Shotgun Hottie and Society, who all have Fappiano through Unbridled.

Candy Ride and his sons have enjoyed tremendous success crossed over Fappiano line mares, particularly through Unbridled. Out of mares by Empire Maker (sire of Pioneerof the Nile and Bodemeister; grandsire of American Pharoah, Classic Empire and Cairo Prince) there are two graded winners, including Grade One winner Separationofpowers. There are five graded winners, including Grade One winners Gift Box and Leofric, by Candy Ride and sons out of mares by Unbridled’s Song. Out of mares by sons of Unbridled’s Song, there is a Grade One winner out of a mare by First Defence, a graded winner out of mare by Songandaprayer, and stakes winners out of mares by Political Force and Rockport Harbor. Other sources of Unbridled’s Song include Liam’s Map, Arrogate, Cross Traffic, Midshipman, Half Ours, Old Fashioned, Zensational, Even The Score, Dunkirk and Buddha.

Unbridled could also be brought in through Broken Vow. We also find Candy Ride’s Grade One winner Finleysluckycharm out of a mare by Victory Gallop from this line, and it could also be worth considering introducing Fappiano through Quiet American, the grandsire of Midnight Lute, and Rubiano, sire of Burning Roma and Too Much Bling.

From the Gone West line Speightstown (out of a Storm Cat mare) is broodmare sire of Candy Ride grade one winner Vekoma. It can work well to cross a stallion over his own broodmare sire line, Distorted Humor. This could be achieved through Alternation, Jimmy Creed, Khozan or Maclean’s Music.

From the Caro line, Candy Ride did very well with mares by In Excess, and he also has a stakes winner out of a mare by that horse’s grandson, Uncle Mo (broodmare sire of a Candy Ride stakes winner), a son of Indian Charlie. Gun Runner has stakes winner Concept out of mare by Cindago (also by Indian Charlie). Of Uncle Mo sons, Laoban is out of a mare by Speightstown; Nyquist is out of a mare by Forestry; and Outwork out of a mare by Empire Maker.

War Front is sire of stakes winner Bombard out of a mare closely related to the dam of Cyberknife, and he brings in Fappiano through Rubiano, which should work well, and he is sire of The Factor and Declaration of War.