Samara overcame a slow start to capture the $75,000 Captiva Island Stakes by a head at Gulfstream Park March 9.
The victory marked the first Stakes win for the five-year-old mare by Hard Spun, who is now undefeated in three starts in 2019.
Breaking a step slowing out of the starting gate, Samara raced in fourth while stuck behind a wall of horses. Entering the far turn, Samara found some room and closed quickly on the leaders while scraping paint along the inside rail.
In the stretch Samara moved off the rail to make her run at longtime leader, Morticia. Through the final furlong, Samara and Morticia matched strides, with Samara finally edging away nearing the wire to win by a head.
Samara was bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corporation, and is out of the mare Smara, by Storm Cat. Smara is a full-sister to Irish Highweight Dark Cheetah, and hails from the family of Champion Outstandingly and Graded Stakes winners Sky Mesa (G1), Della Francesca (G2), Caress (G3) and Bernstein (G3).
Hard Spun has sired over 60 career Stakes winners including 31 which have won in Group company, nine of those G1 winners. The stallion is the sire of 2019 Graded Stakes winner A Thread Of Blue, who captured the G3 Palm Beach Stakes in addition to the Listed Dania Beach Stakes. Hard Spun is also the sire of the exciting three-year-old colt Hidden Scroll, who won his career debut by 14 lengths January 26 at Gulfstream Park.
Hard Spun is standing the 2019 breeding season at Jonabell Farm for $40,000, stands and nurses.
