Always a Runner (foaled January 26, 2023) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2026 Kentucky Oaks.
Background Always a Runner is a dark bay or brown filly bred by Three Chimneys Farm. Her sire is Gun Runner who stands at Three Chimneys Farm for US$250,000 in 2026.
Four generations of dams have been owned by Three Chimneys Farm. Always a Runner's dam Always Carina was lightly raced having six starts and was placed in the 2021 Grade II Mother Goose Stakes. Her second dam, Miss Always Ready was bought by Three Chimneys Farm as a two-year-old for $400,000 and was also lightly raced with one win in five starts. Her third dam, Miss Seffens who was sired by Dehere and in a career of 26 starts won 11 events and was fourth in the 2000 GI Kentucky Oaks. Three Chimneys Farm tried to buy Miss Seffens in 2002 at the Keeneland November Mixed Sales but failed at the $345,000 asking price. However, they were successful in 2006 when the mare was bought for $310,000.
Always a Runner was bought for $1.05 million at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale by Douglas Scharbauer who in turn brought back the breeders Three Chimneys Farm in a partnership deal.
Always a Runner is trained by the Eclipse Award winning trainer Chad C. Brown.
As a two-year-old Always a Runner caught pneumonia and was sent to Bruce Jackson's Fair Hill Equine Therapy Center in Maryland and veterinarian Rodney Belgrave of Mid-Atlantic Equine Medical Center. The recovery impacted her training and development and thus was a reason why she started her racing career as a three-year-old.
Statistics Date Distance Race Grade Track Odds Field Finish WinningTime Winning(Losing)Margin Jockey Ref2026 – Three-year-old season 1 mile 40 yards Maiden Special Weight Tampa Bay Downs 0.60* 6 1 1:42.93 lengths milesGazelle Stakes III Aqueduct 4.69 8 1 1:50.97 lengths milesKentucky Oaks I Churchill Downs 5.52 13 1 1:48.82 lengths miles Acorn Stakes I Saratoga 0.86* 5 2 1:48.85 ( lengths) miles Coaching Club American Oaks I Saratoga 1.88721:48.98 ( lengths) miles Cotillion Handicap I Parx 0.90*921:43.60 ( lengths)
Notes:
An (*) asterisk after the odds means Always a Runner was the post-time favorite.
Pedigree
References