Zedan Racing was adding horses to the team all the way up to the last major sale of the year when purchasing a weanling colt for a sale topping $2.2 million at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale – the highest priced weanling in North America in the past decade.

The most expensive weanling of the sale and sixth most expensive horse overall, the Gun Runner colt is a half-brother to two winners from three to race out of the Grade 1 winning Nickname. That mare’s runners include the Group 3 winner Ides of March. Nickname herself was one of two stakes performers and five winners out of the multiple stakes placed Nina Fever.

Each dam on the page has produced at least one stakes performer with three also placing in stakes themselves – including Grade 3 winner and Grade 1-placed Good Potential.

“Amr, he wants to win the (Kentucky) Derby,” said Donato Lanni after signing the ticket. “This is that type of horse, by Gun Runner. He looks like he’ll go and run all day. I think it is the kind of horse that in September would probably have brought double. It’s a lot of money, don’t get me wrong, but he’s a special-looking horse. You just don’t see these kinds of horses in November.”

The colt is set to join Bob Baffert’s barn in the future.

Zedan Racing has had plenty of success with Gun Runner runners in its stable, including Grade 1 winners BRANT and TAIBA.