Hard Spun Gets Street Sense
Kentucky Derby Champ Falls to Rival in Third Matchup
The third time was the charm for Hard Spun. He finished twice behind Street Sense in the Triple Crown races, but bested the champ in the Kentucky Cup Classic.
A good thoroughbred won't stay down forever, or be beaten over and over again by the same rival. Sooner, or later, he gets his day of triumph.
That day came for hard working Hard Spun. The Larry Jones trained colt won hearts for his three gutsy performances in the Triple Crown races earlier this season. He finally took the measure of Street Sense in the Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes at Turfway Park in Florence Kentucky on Sept. 29.
In the past, Hard Spun has run well on all-weather surface tracks. So it was at Turfway. He improved his career mark to seven wins in 12 starts with earnings of $1,673,470. Owner Rick Porter expects to run the colt in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Monmouth Park, New Jersey on October 27th. Street Sense will be one likely opponent in the race.
Jockey Mario Pino, Maryland's leading rider, set Hard Spun on an easy pace in the Cup Classic field. After six furlongs of the 1-1/4 miles, Pino asked Hard Spun to move. The colt left the field coming into the turn. Street Sense unfurled his own best drive, but narrowly missed the rundown before tiring slightly. Hard Spun got a 1-1/4 length victory in time of 1:48.18.
Jones was pleased with the race as a prep for the Breeders' Cup Classic. He noted that Hard Spun had raced very well the last time he came off a Polytrack run. The trainer liked Hard Spun's determined battle against Street Sense's stretch challenge. The match up had been a greatly anticipated showdown between the two top Kentucky Derby finishers. Only two other horses were entered in the race that was expected to feature a stretch duel between Hard Spun and Street Sense.
Carl Nafzger, Street Sense's trainer, said they had entered the race to win, but it had proven to be one of those racing days when it was difficult for any horse to get up on an opponent. Nevertheless, he viewed the race as a good one, and said Street Sense would be ready to go in the Breeders' Cup Classic for the next chapter of the rivalry.
The win for Hard Spun was his second consecutive victory. He beat the field in August in the King's Bishop Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. That was the colt's first grade I triumph.
Hard Spun is a Pennsylvania-bred from Brushwood Stable. The Danzig colt is out of the mare Turkish Tryst, by Turkoman.
