Spun To Run and Gray Magician battled through the stretch with Spun To Run finally putting away his rival nearing the wire to win the G3 Smarty Jones Stakes by a head at Parx Racing Sept. 2.
It was the first Stakes victory for the three-year-old Hard Spun colt, who entered the race off a third-place finish in the G1 Haskell Invitational in July.
Sent off as the slight 7-5 favorite in the field of six, Spun To Run sat just behind Bethlehem Road and Top Line Growth as the field passed the grandstand and charged into the clubhouse turn. Spun To Run, who was full of run, was taken under a firm hold by jockey Paco Lopez as the field raced down the backstretch.
Finally given his cue by Lopez, Spun To Run split rivals midway on the far turn, taking a slight lead as the field entered the homestretch. Spun To Run was soon joined by Gray Magician, and a stretch-long battle ensued. Gray Magician took a slight advantage over his rival in mid-stretch, but Spun To Run battled back, eventually getting his head in front as they hit the wire.
Bred in Kentucky by Sabana Farm, Spun To Run is out of Yawkey Way, a Stakes-winning daughter of Grand Slam. In addition to the Smarty Jones winner, Yawkey Way has produced Tap It All, winner of the California Oaks.
Hard Spun has sired over 70 career Stakes winners, including 10 Grade 1 winners. Hard Spun is having a tremendous year, led by his three-year-old daughter, Out For A Spin, winner of the G1 Central Bank Ashland Stakes. The stallion is also the sire of Green Light Go, winner of the G2 Saratoga Special; A Thread Of Blue, winner of the $1,000,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational and G3 Palm Beach Stakes; Hard Legacy, winner of the G3 Regret Stakes and Lucullan, winner of the Fasig-Tipton Lure Stakes.
