Necker Island displayed his usual grit and determination when he squeezed through a narrow opening along the rail then battled two rivals through the stretch on his way to posting a neck victory in the $225,000 Mighty Beau Stakes at Ellis Park on Sunday, 18 June.
The hard-knocking son of Hard Spun, who was making his 34th career start, notched his third career Stakes victory in the Mighty Beau. Necker Island has now won eight times and finished in the money in 18 of 34 starts.
Originally scheduled for five-and-a-half furlongs on the turf, the Mighty Beau was moved to the main track due to maintenance issues. The change in surfaces didn’t faze Necker Island, who after sitting just behind the leader, Yes I Am Free, through the early stages of the race, bullied his way through a narrow opening along the rail to challenge for the lead. Necker Island and Yes I Am Free battled the length of the stretch, with Necker Island finally gaining the advantage nearing the wire to post a neck victory.
Necker Island was bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC. He is out of the Mr. Greeley mare, Jenny’s Rocket, a full sister to Stakes winner Greeley’s Rocket and a half to multiple Stakes winner, Laurie’s Rocket. Also found in the immediate family are Graded Stakes winners Adieu (G1), Rapport (G3) and Direct Line (G3).
Hard Spun is coming off a successful 2022 which saw him represented by 12 Stakes winners, most notably Two Phil’s, who has developed into one of the top three-year-olds in the country. After earning a 101 Beyer Speed Figure when winning the G3 Jeff Ruby Steaks in March, Two Phil’s finished second to Mage in his next start, the G1 Kentucky Derby. Two Phil’s is currently gearing up for a summer campaign that will include starts in the G3 Ohio Derby and G1 Travers Stakes.
