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.”
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