When asked about the decision to return Hard Spun to Kentucky for the 2015 season, Dan Pride, Darley’s Chief Operating Officer in America, commented, "Street Sense and Hard Spun have each stood a season in Japan. Sharing the best of our stallions with breeders in other countries is an important part of our global philosophy. It’s wonderful they can be so popular both abroad and at home."
That popularity was clearly very evident early on by the number of mares Hard Spun attracted during his first five seasons. He averaged right at 150 mares in each of those books and he currently has 123 yearlings on the ground and has over 100 two-year-olds of 2014 as well.
Foals from his first book of 181 mares resulted in a group of runners that put their sire firmly in the record books. Twenty total blacktype winners from his 2009 crop translates into him having sired more first-crop Stakes winners than any stallion ever. Three G1 winners hailed from this first crop, including Eclipse Champion three-year-old Questing, winner of the high-level Alabama and Coaching Club American Oaks, as well as 2014 turf specialist, Hard Not To Like, winner of the Jenny Wiley Stakes earlier this spring at Keeneland. Zo Impressive, winner of the G1 Mother Goose, heads the remaining list of six Group or Graded winner from this outstanding initial crop.
He missed being North America’s leading freshman sire by earnings in 2011 by just over $10,000, and the following year, he claimed the top spot among his peer group as the number one second-crop sire by earnings. Another very good year in 2013 saw him placed just behind stud mate Street Sense among all third-crop sires.
In addition to the aforementioned Hard Not To Like, 2014 has also seen his three-year-old son Wicked Strong developing into one of North America’s best sophomore colts. Following a two-year-old season that saw him place second in the G2 Remsen, the G1 Wood Memorials was the race that Wicked Strong truly exhibited his talents, winning by a widening three and one-half lengths in this major prep for the Kentucky Derby. In the Derby, he overcame a stumble and additional traffic problems to finish fourth in this American classic. He duplicated that finish in the G1 Belmont, but then put it all together again in the G2 Jim Dandy while winning by two and one-quarter lengths. At the time of this writing, he is one of the leading contenders for the G1 Travers at Saratoga.
It may not be too surprising that Hard Spun’s runners are excelling given the way that he performed as a racehorse. An earner of $2,673,470, Hard Spun won seven of 13 career starts and was never finished worse than fourth. And he did it on both dirt and synthetic and going short and long. He was a game winner of the G1 King’s Bishop at seven furlongs but had the stamina as well to finish second to Street Sense and Horse of the Year Curlin, respectively, in the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic. Another crowning moment was when he turned the tables on Street Sense, getting the better of the Derby winner when winning the G2 Kentucky Cup Classic.
Charlie Boden, Darley’s Head of Sales in America, commented, "Hard Spun was a favorite among breeders during his first five years at Jonabell and covered a full book of mares in Japan this year. His progeny continue to do very well and I know breeders here in the US are excited to see him return."
We can Hard-ly wait.
