Hard Spun's first time starter, the two-year-old colt Artest, battled through a first quarter mile in :21 3/5 and never looked back, drawing away impressively in the stretch to win by six lengths in a five-furlong maiden special weight event at Belmont. He joins two other winners for Hard Spun in his first crop making him the first freshman sire to reach that mark in 2011.
Artest was bred by JMJ Racing Stables, LLC, Jeffrey Narlinger and Michael Narlinger in Kentucky and is out of the Stakes-winning/G3-placed mare Desire to Excel, she a daughter of six-time stakes winner Ayrial Delight.
Hard Spun won the G1 King’s Bishop at seven furlongs and was able to carry his speed to second-placed finishes in the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic, both run at one and one-quarter miles. He has also made a huge impact at the two-year-old sales in 2011 with four sales toppers and is also the sire of the top-priced juvenile sales horse of the year at $675,000. Hard Spun stands for a fee of $30,000 Stands and Nurses.
