Loyalty shot through an opening along the rail and pulled away in the stretch to win the G3 Hendrie Stakes by two-and-a-half lengths at Woodbine on Saturday, 22 July.
Unraced as a juvenile, the four-year-old Hard Spun filly earned her first Graded Stakes win in the Hendrie. A two-time Stakes winner last year, Loyalty entered Saturday’s race off a victory in her only prior start this season. Loyalty has now won six of eight career starts for her owners, LNJ Foxwoods and Gainesway Farm.
Under a patient ride by jockey Kazushi Kimura, Loyalty stalked the early pace set by Clitheroe and Hard Edge while saving ground along the inside rail. Loyalty continued to bide her time on the far turn, then shot through an opening along the rail and moved up to challenge Clitheroe for the lead. The two battled briefly before Loyalty spurted clear, drawing off through the stretch to win easily.
Loyalty was bred in Florida by Best A Luck Farm and Godolphin. She is out of the unraced Elusive Quality mare, Slew's Quality, and is a half-sister to Champion and G1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Shamrock Rose, as well as Stakes-placed runners My Friends Beer and Bet On Mike.
In addition to Loyalty, Hard Spun represented by recent Stakes winners Really Good and Sparkle Blue, and by multiple Graded Stakes winner, Two Phil’s, winner of the G3 Ohio Derby and a gallant second in the G1 Kentucky Derby.
