Highway Robber battled a stubborn Bold Act throughout the final furlong and came out on top in a head-bobbing photo finish to win the
Hard Spun
$25,000 B 2004 16.3HH (1.70M)
Danzig – Turkish Tryst (Turkoman)
Stands and nurses.
Standing at Jonabell Farm, Kentucky
Fifteen career G1 winners and four stallion sons in Kentucky: G1 Met Mile winner Silver State, G1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint hero Aloha West, G1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Spun to Run, and Kentucky Derby runner-up Two Phil’s.
A $500k yearling and juveniles who brought $300k, $260k and $200k in 2024 show he's very much in demand.
Best progeny
His winning offspring
Video footage
Watch him go: see him at his best
King's Bishop S (G1), 7f, Saratoga, 25 August 2007
Lane's End S (G2), 9f, Turfway Park, 24 March 2007
Kentucky Cup Classic (G2), 9f, Turfway Park, 29 September 2007
Maiden Special Weight, 5.5f, Delaware Park, 22 October 2006
Watch THEM go: big wins by his offspring
Aloha West
Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), 6f, Del Mar, 06 Nov 2021
Hard Not to Love
La Brea S (G1), 7f, Santa Anita, 28 Dec 2019
Spun to Run
Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), 8f, Santa Anita , 02 Nov 2019
Gatting
Makybe Diva S (G1), 8f, Flemington, 14 Sep 2019
Out for a Spin
Ashland S (G1), 8½f, Keeneland, 06 Apr 2019
Smooth Roller
Awesome Again S (G1), 9f, Santa Anita, 26 Sep 15
Special insights: interviews, expert opinion and more
See the full playlist on YouTube
Pedigree
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HARD SPUN |
DANZIG |
NORTHERN DANCER |
NEARCTIC |
NEARCO |
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LADY ANGELA |
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NATALMA |
NATIVE DANCER |
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ALMAHMOUD |
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PAS DE NOM |
ADMIRAL'S VOYAGE |
CRAFTY ADMIRAL |
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OLYMPIA LOU |
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PETITIONER |
PETITION |
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STEADY AIM |
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TURKISH TRYST |
TURKOMAN |
ALYDAR |
RAISE A NATIVE |
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SWEET TOOTH |
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TABA |
TABLE PLAY |
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FILIPINA |
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DARBYVAIL |
ROBERTO |
HAIL TO REASON |
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BRAMALEA |
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LUIANA |
MY BABU |
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BANQUET BELL |
By DANZIG (1977) Leading sire of 1,102 foals aged three and up, including HARD SPUN, ANABAA, BELONG TO ME, CHIEF’S CROWN, DANEHILL, GREEN DESERT, MUJAHID, POLISH PRECEDENT, WAR CHANT, etc.
1st dam: TURKISH TRYST by Turkoman. 4 wins (9f-12f) at 4 and 5, April Run S, 3rd Matchmaker S (G2). Dam of 7 foals, 5 to race, 5 winners:
HARD SPUN (c Danzig) 7 wins (5½f-9f) at 2 and 3, King’s Bishop S (G1), Lane’s End S (G2), Kentucky Cup Classic S (G2), 2nd Kentucky Derby (G1), Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), Haskell Invitaional S (G1), 3rd Preakness S (G1).
OUR RITE OF SPRING (f Stravinsky) 3 wins (8f-8¼f) at 3, Exogenous S. Dam of:
RARE EVENT (f A P Indy) 4 wins at 3 and 4. Dam of: IMPROBABLE (c City Zip) Champion older dirt colt, Hollywood Gold Cup (G1), Whitney S (G1), 2nd Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Sire.
Wild Current (g Wild Again) 7 wins (6f-7f), 2 to 5, 2nd Damitrius S, Lyman Sprint Championship H.
2nd dam: DARBYVAIL by Roberto. 2 wins at 3. Dam of 3 winners:
TURKISH TRYST (f Turkoman) see above.
Pastelartist (f Gulch) Placed at 3 and 4. Dam of:
DOWN THE RIVER (f Meadowlake) Winner at 3. Dam of:
RIVAL DAN (c Hidden Truth) C.Polla de Potrillos (G2).
3rd dam: Luiana by My Babu. Half-sister to CHATEAUGAY (Champion three-year-old colt in the US, Kentucky Derby. Sire); PRIMONETTA (Champion older mare in the US, Marguerite S). Dam of 7 winners:
LITTLE CURRENT (c Sea Bird) Champion three-year-old colt in the US, Preakness S (G1), Belmont S (G1). Sire.
PRAYERS ‘N PROMISES (f Foolish Pleasure) Matron S (G1), Spinaway S (G1). Dam of:
NABEEL DANCER (c Northern Dancer) Prix du Gros Chene (G2), 3rd Prix de l’Abbaye (G1). Sire.
ANJIZ (c Nureyev) Phoenix Breeders’ Cup S. Sire.
Palm Dove (f Storm Bird) Grandam of:
CHATTAHOOCHEE WAR (c War Chant) Transylvania S (G3), Hill Rise S, 3rd Secretariat S (G1).
WATER DANCE (f Nijinsky) Twilight Tear H, 3rd Long Look H (G2). Dam of:
FOPPY DANCER (f Fappiano) Winner at 2. Dam of: MAGIC STORM (f Storm Cat) Monmouth Breeders’ Cup Oaks (G2). Grandam of: SATONO ALADDIN (c Deep Impact) Yasuda Kinen (G1), Swan S (G2). Sire; DRILL (c Lawyer Ron) Del Mar Futurity (G1). Sire; LACHESIS (f Deep Impact) Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1); Flawless Magic (f Deep Impact) 2nd Fukushima Himba S (G3).
Fair Renown (f Stage Door Johnny) Placed at 3. Grandam of: CUTTING BLADE (c Sharpo) Coventry S (G3). Sire.
Conformation
Race record
His successful career
| Age | Starts | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Earnings |
| Two | 3 | 3 | - | - | $100,970 |
| Three | 10 | 4 | 3 | 1 | $2,572,500 |
| Total | 13 | 7 | 3 | 1 | $2,673,470 |
At 2
- 1st
- Pennsylvania Nursery S, 7f, Philadelphia Park, by 7¾l, beating Favorite Valay, Legacy Reserve, Mr Boxcar.
- 1st
- Port Penn S, 6f, Delaware Park, by 5l, beating Heart Throbbin', E Cash Rich.
- 1st
- Maiden Special Weight, 5½f, Delaware Park, by 8¾l.
At 3
- 1st
- King's Bishop S (G1), 7f, Saratoga, beating First Defence, E Z Warrior, Teuflesberg, Most Distinguished, Bold Start, King of the Roxy, Longley, Pauillac, Forty Grams, Spin Master.
- 1st
- Lane's End S (G2), 9f, Turfway Park, by 3¼l, beating Sedgefield, Joe Got Even, For You Reppo, Starbase, Twilight Meteor, Sports Town, Approval Rating, Forefathers.
- 1st
- Kentucky Cup Classic (G2), 9f, Turfway Park, beating Street Sense, Stream Cat, Cat Shaker.
- 1st
- LeComte S (G3), 8f, Fair Grounds, by 6½l, beating Izzie's Halo, Teuflesberg, Makeithapencaptain, Beta Capo.
- 2nd
- Kentucky Derby (G1), 10f, Chuchill Downs, to Street Sense, beating Curlin, Imawildandcrazyguy, Sedgefield, Circular Quay, Tiago, Any Given Saturday, Sam P, Nobiz Like Shobiz, Domincan, Zanjero, Great Hunter, Liquidity, Bwana Bull, Storm In May, Teuflesberg, Scat Daddy, Stormello, Cowtown Cat.
- 2nd
- Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), 10f, Monmouth Park, to Curlin, beating Awesome Gem, Street Sense, Tiago, Any Given Saturday, Lawyer Ron, Diamond Stripes.
- 2nd
- Haskell Invitational (G1), 9f, Monmouth Park, to Any Given Saturday, beating Curlin, Imawildandcrazyguy,Cable Boy, Xchanger, Reata's Shadow.
- 3rd
- Preakness S (G1), 9½f, Pimlico, to Curlin, Street Sense, beating C PWest, Circular Quay, King Of The Roxy, Xchanger, Flying First Class.
- 4th
- Belmont S (G1), 12f, Belmont Park, to Rags To Riches, Curlin, Tiago, beating C P West, Imawildandcrazyguy, Slew's Tizzy.
- 4th
- Southwest S, 8f, Oaklawn Park, to Teuflesberg, Officer Rocket, Forty Grams, beating Xchanger, Going Ballistic, Starbase, Our Sacred Honor, I Got A Dream.
Breeding forms
View and complete our breeding forms for the current season and send us your vet certificates.
Our stud office team is here to help on +1 859 255 8537.
Complete and submit this form as part of your booking. Please double-check pedigree and ownership details and use correct spelling.
If using the PDF version (click here), all paperwork must be emailed to darleyshedforms@godolphin.com
Complete the form and submit your mare’s breeding shed information.
If using the PDF version (click here), all shed paperwork (shed form and veterinary certificates if applicable) must be emailed to darleyshedforms@godolphin.com
Kentucky Department of Agriculture – 2024 testing requirements for imported mares to be bred.
C.E.M. testing and treatment requirements.
Importing from C.E.M. affected countries.
You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print these forms. If you need to get this free program, click here.
Directions to Breeding Shed:
If using GPS, please use the following address for the Darley Breeding Shed entrance:
3555 Bowman Mill Rd
Lexington, KY 40513
Once through the gate, follow the signs directing you to the breeding shed.
Hard Spun’s progeny at the races
