Taiba
Taiba
Gun Runner's only 3-time G1-winning son
2019, Chestnut, 16.1 | Entered Stud: 2024 | Nominated to: Breeders' Cup, KTDF
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First in-foal mares in 2024 sold up to $500,000 – First foals arrive in 2025.
Covered 200 mares in his first book at stud in 2024 – top 3 among all first-year stallions and top 7 among all North American stallions.
The Top ‘Gun’: A dominant 3-time G1 winner – more than any son of Gun Runner to date – and 2022 Eclipse Award finalist as a 3-year-old. Won the Santa Anita Derby-G1, Pennsylvania Derby-G1 & Malibu-G1 by an average winning margin of over 3 lengths.
Won the $750,000 SANTA ANITA DERBY-G1 going away by 2 ¼ lengths in just his second lifetime start and first around two turns, running 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.46 and earning a 102 Beyer – the fastest Kentucky Derby contender of 2022.
Captured the $1,000,000 PENNSYLVANIA DERBY-G1 by 3 lengths over G1 winners Cyberknife, Zandon & White Abarrio, running 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.67 and earning a 108 Beyer.
Victorious in the $300,000 MALIBU STAKES-G1 going away by 4 ¼ lengths over G1 winners Straight No Chaser & Nakatomi, running seven furlongs in 1:21.75 and earning a 106 Beyer.
“The most brilliant son of Gun Runner” –Alan Porter
Romped in a MdSpWt race at Santa Anita on debut by 7 ½ lengths, stopping the clock in 1:09.97 for six furlongs and earning TDN Rising Star honors. It’s the only race of his career that wasn’t at the G1 level.
Earned a 103 Beyer from his debut at the races – one of the fastest Beyers recorded by a maiden this century.
On the board in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic-G1 at Keeneland as a 3-year-old behind Flightline, earning a lifetime-best 110 Beyer in the prestigious 1 ¼-mile event.
Runner-up by a head in the $1 million Haskell-G1 after a wide trip, in a performance that broke the 37-year-old track record for 1 1/8 miles at Monmouth (1:46.24).
54.76 Class Performance Index on Blood-Horse – decisively rated as the top performer at stud by leading sire GUN RUNNER; won with fast times from 6f to 9f.
The most accomplished son of GUN RUNNER at stud to date by earnings ($2,356,200) and Grade 1 wins (3).
Out of the 14-time stakes-winning Flatter mare NEEDMORE FLATTERY ($732,103).
$1.7 million 2-year-old purchase at Fasig-Tipton’s Gulfstream Sale.
| Age | Starts | 1st (SW) | 2nd (SP) | 3rd (SP) | Earned |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 7 | 4 (3) | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | $1,956,200 |
| 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | $400,000 |
| Totals | 8 | 4 (3) | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | $2,356,200 |
Racing Highlights
Won at 3- Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita (G1, 9f in 1:48.46, by 2 ¼ lengths, defeating Messier, Happy Jack, Armagnac, Forbidden Kingdom, etc.)
- Pennsylvania Derby at Parx (G1, 9f in 1:48.67 , by 3 lengths, defeating Zandon, Cyberknife, Simplification, White Abarrio, We the People, Skippylongstocking, Tawny Port, etc.)
- Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita (G1, 7f in 1:21.75, by 4 ¼ lengths, defeating Forbidden Kingdom, Hoist The Gold, Nakatomi, Strava, Straight No Chaser, Messier, etc.)
- Maiden Special Weight at Santa Anita (*TDN Rising Star*, 6f in 1:09.97, by 7 ½ lengths, defeating Mauritius, Pioneering Papa, One More Bid, etc.)
- Haskell Stakes at Monmouth (G1, to Cyberknife in 1:46.24 (NTR for 9f), defeating Jack Christopher, Howling Time, Benevengo, White Abarrio, etc.)
- Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland (G1, to Flightline, Olympiad, defeating Rich Strike, Life Is Good, Hot Rod Charlie, Happy Saver, Epicenter)
Pedigree
Alan Porter’s 2025 Breeding Analysis for Taiba
An Eclipse Award finalist and three-time Grade One winner who ran a top Beyer of 110, Taiba is the most brilliant son of the sensational Gun Runner.
Taiba is bred on the very successful cross of Gun Runner with mares from the A.P. Indy line. His broodmare sire, Flatter, is bred on the A.P. Indy/Mr. Prospector and duplicating that could be a worthwhile experiment. The Gun Runner cross with mares by Tapit – by the A.P. Indy/Mr. Prospector cross, Pulpit – has already provided Gun Runner with grade one winner Society and graded stakes winners Wicked Halo, Red Route One, Disarm, and Il Miracolo as well as stakes winner Red Run, and Tapit might also be introduced through Constitution, Frosted, Cupid, Tonalist, Trappe Shot, Tapiture, and Tapizar.
Gun Runner is also sire of stakes winner Optionality 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.
Malibu Moon, another bred on the A.P. Indy/Mr. Prospector cross, is broodmare sire of Gun Runner’s Champion Sierra Leone and grade one winner Locked. This also suggests mares by similarly-bred A.P. Indy sons such as Congrats (an interesting experiment as he is a brother to Flatter) and Mineshaft (sire of Dialed In and Discreetly Mine). It would also be worth considering mares by A.P. Indy sons Bernardini (bred very similarly to Tapit) and his sons To Honor and Serve and Stay Thirsty; Jump Start (out of a Storm Cat mare); Take Charge Indy and Majestic Warrior (out of a Mr. Prospector line mare).
Gun Runner is out of a mare by Giant’s Causeway, a son of Storm Cat, and one of the most successful patterns for Gun Runner has been inbreeding to Storm Cat, which is in ten of his stakes winners. On this cross, 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 – himself broodmare sire of a Gun Runner stakes winner – 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 such as 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 (also sire of Wildcat Heir). There are two graded winners by Candy Ride out of mares by Storm Cat son Forestry. Forestry 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 and Tale of Ekati; grandsire of Kantharos and Girvin), Stormy Atlantic, and Yankee Gentleman.
Gun Runner has Preakness Stakes winner Early Voting out of a mare by Tiznow. In addition to mares by Tiznow himself, it would be possible to consider mares by his sons, Tiz Wonderful (bred on a similar cross to the dam of Early Voting), Colonel John, 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 Grade One winner Society, graded stakes winner Wicked Halo and Shotgun Hottie, and stakes winners Red Run who all have Fappiano through Unbridled.
Candy Ride and 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. Note that Midshipman, First Defence and Dunkirk are all extended Fappiano/A.P. Indy crosses, parallel to Taiba.
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 (Gun Runner grade one winner Gun Pilot is inbred to Quiet American), the grandsire of Midnight Lute, and Rubiano, sire of Burning Roma and Too Much Bling.
Fappiano is a Mr. Prospector line stallion, and from the Gone West branch of Mr. Prospector. Speightstown is broodmare sire of Candy Ride Grade One winner Vekoma. The Elusive Quality (sire of Quality Road) branch could also be interesting as Elusive Quality is closely related to Praise, the dam of Taiba’s broodmare sire, Flatter. Out of a mare from the Distorted Humor branch of Mr. Prospector, Gun Runner has grade one winner Cyberknife from a mare by Flower Alley, suggesting daughters of Maclean’s Music, Jimmy Creed, Alternation, Brethren, and Khozan.
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.
Alan Porter’s 2025 Breeding Analysis for Taiba
An Eclipse Award finalist and three-time Grade One winner who ran a top Beyer of 110, Taiba is the most brilliant son of the sensational Gun Runner.
Taiba is bred on the very successful cross of Gun Runner with mares from the A.P. Indy line. His broodmare sire, Flatter, is bred on the A.P. Indy/Mr. Prospector and duplicating that could be a worthwhile experiment. The Gun Runner cross with mares by Tapit – by the A.P. Indy/Mr. Prospector cross, Pulpit – has already provided Gun Runner with grade one winner Society and graded stakes winners Wicked Halo, Red Route One, Disarm, and Il Miracolo as well as stakes winner Red Run, and Tapit might also be introduced through Constitution, Frosted, Cupid, Tonalist, Trappe Shot, Tapiture, and Tapizar.
Gun Runner is also sire of stakes winner Optionality 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.
Malibu Moon, another bred on the A.P. Indy/Mr. Prospector cross, is broodmare sire of Gun Runner’s Champion Sierra Leone and grade one winner Locked. This also suggests mares by similarly-bred A.P. Indy sons such as Congrats (an interesting experiment as he is a brother to Flatter) and Mineshaft (sire of Dialed In and Discreetly Mine). It would also be worth considering mares by A.P. Indy sons Bernardini (bred very similarly to Tapit) and his sons To Honor and Serve and Stay Thirsty; Jump Start (out of a Storm Cat mare); Take Charge Indy and Majestic Warrior (out of a Mr. Prospector line mare).
Gun Runner is out of a mare by Giant’s Causeway, a son of Storm Cat, and one of the most successful patterns for Gun Runner has been inbreeding to Storm Cat, which is in ten of his stakes winners. On this cross, 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 – himself broodmare sire of a Gun Runner stakes winner – 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 such as 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 (also sire of Wildcat Heir). There are two graded winners by Candy Ride out of mares by Storm Cat son Forestry. Forestry 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 and Tale of Ekati; grandsire of Kantharos and Girvin), Stormy Atlantic, and Yankee Gentleman.
Gun Runner has Preakness Stakes winner Early Voting out of a mare by Tiznow. In addition to mares by Tiznow himself, it would be possible to consider mares by his sons, Tiz Wonderful (bred on a similar cross to the dam of Early Voting), Colonel John, 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 Grade One winner Society, graded stakes winner Wicked Halo and Shotgun Hottie, and stakes winners Red Run who all have Fappiano through Unbridled.
Candy Ride and 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. Note that Midshipman, First Defence and Dunkirk are all extended Fappiano/A.P. Indy crosses, parallel to Taiba.
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 (Gun Runner grade one winner Gun Pilot is inbred to Quiet American), the grandsire of Midnight Lute, and Rubiano, sire of Burning Roma and Too Much Bling.
Fappiano is a Mr. Prospector line stallion, and from the Gone West branch of Mr. Prospector. Speightstown is broodmare sire of Candy Ride Grade One winner Vekoma. The Elusive Quality (sire of Quality Road) branch could also be interesting as Elusive Quality is closely related to Praise, the dam of Taiba’s broodmare sire, Flatter. Out of a mare from the Distorted Humor branch of Mr. Prospector, Gun Runner has grade one winner Cyberknife from a mare by Flower Alley, suggesting daughters of Maclean’s Music, Jimmy Creed, Alternation, Brethren, and Khozan.
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.
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