HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – As Gun Runner walked over to the paddock prior to the $16.3 million Pegasus World Cup on Saturday at Gulfstream Park, trainer Steve Asmussen walked right alongside the 2017 Horse of the Year, his eyes beginning to water while biting his bottom lip. It had been a long, glorious trip with Gun Runner – 11 wins in 18 starts, adjudged the Horse of the Year in 2017, earnings just shy of $9 million. But now it was time for one last race before Gun Runner would head to stud. A horse who had been in Asmussen’s barn for 2 1/2 years, in that time allowing those who care for him to grow quite attached, would soon be leaving. “It hit me hard,” Asmussen said. Go Runner then provided, as co-owner Ron Winchell said, “a perfect ending.” In the final start of his career, Gun Runner and those associated with him were at the top of their game. He was trained to a razor’s edge by Asmussen and assistant Scott Blasi, and jockey Florent Geroux gave him the aggressive ride that was essential leaving the gate from an outside box with the abrupt run to the first turn going 1 1/8 miles here. But then it was up to Gun Runner, and he proved – yet again – that he’s worthy of all his acclaim. He hounded the top-class Collected for the first 5 1/2 furlongs, put that horse away passing the six-furlong pole in a rapid 1:10.21, faced a fresh challenge from champion West Coast – who had a perfect trip from post 2 – and safely held him off for a 2 1/2-length victory. It was as good as race as he has run. “So proud, so proud,” Asmussen said as he worked his way through a thicket of well wishers en route to a post-race press conference. Gun Runner ($4.20), the favorite, completed 1 1/8 miles on the fast main track in 1:47.41. The middle part of the race was demanding – second quarter in 23.20 seconds, third quarter in 23.60 seconds – yet Gun Runner still turned back West Coast. It was another 10 3/4 lengths back to Gunnevera, who came up the rail to finish third, a half-length in front of the longshot Fear the Cowboy. Seeking the Soul was fifth, then came the mare Stellar Wind, Collected, Sharp Azteca, Giant Expectations, War Story, Singing Bullet, and Toast of New York. Underscoring the strength of Gun Runner’s race is that Collected, whom he shadowed early, was beaten 16 1/2 lengths. The beginning of the race was paramount to success. Geroux and Asmussen knew Gun Runner had to get away sharply and get over from post 10 in the field of 12. “We thought it was very important to break sharply from that draw,” Asmussen said. “He got over, and then he was going as comfortable as in a work. “Everybody is aware of the lack of success from the outside going a mile and an eighth here. But it’s not what number it is, it’s who you put in that number.” Despite breaking from post 10, Gun Runner was outside of only Collected within 100 yards of leaving the gate. But while Gun Runner and Collected sped along at a sharp clip, West Coast – last year’s Eclipse Award winner as champion 3-year-old male – drafted into an ideal spot. “Perfect spot. Followed the best horse in the race,” said Javier Castellano, who was aboard West Coast. “Second best. Got beat by a good horse.” Castellano smiled. “I don’t have to worry about him anymore,” he said. Castellano said that as the field moved around the final turn, between the three-furlong pole and quarter pole, “I tried to surprise him.” But he said Geroux saw him, and Gun Runner, Castellano said, “took off.” “My horse responded. He broke again,” Castellano said. “It was a great performance. I’m so proud of these two, the way they ran.” Bob Baffert, who trains West Coast and Collected, tipped his cap to Gun Runner, again. He beat both of Baffert’s horses in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 4, and neither could beat Gun Runner at the other end of the country 2 1/2 months later. “Gun Runner, he was impressive. Unless he took a step back, I knew we couldn’t beat him,” Baffert said. “He’s just a really good horse. We just got outrun.” What a week it was for Gun Runner. At the Eclipse Awards dinner here on Thursday night he was named both Horse of the Year and champion older dirt male. Less than 48 hours later, he won the Pegasus. “There were 16 million reasons to get pumped up” over the race, Winchell said, referring to the purse. “It’s been an unbelievable week. “Of all the horses I’ve had,” said Winchell, whose family has been in the sport for more than five decades, “it would be hard to top Gun Runner, with Horse of the Year and the Pegasus.” Gun Runner, a son of Candy Ride, is scheduled to head straight from here to Kentucky, where he will take up residence at the farm of his co-owner, the Three Chimneys Farm owned by Goncalo Borges Torrealba. He goes there having won 12 of 19 races, including his last five, and seven of his last eight, and with a career bankroll of $15,988,500, including the $7 million he is credited with for Saturday. “For him to go on to his next career on this note, it’s a fairy-tale ending,” Asmussen said.