Hard Spun!!!

[smartyalex]

Looked real good this evening!!!

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

Exciting 3 year old.

Yes he is.
I have not seen the race from today yet, but he does seem interesting. His previous races have looked nice, and his pedigree seems to indicate that he could be effective when the spring 3yo races stretch out to 8.5 and 9 furlongs. He is by Danzig, of course, but more importantly the dam side of his pedigree is dominated by horses that were all G1 winners at 10f and beyond (Turkoman, Alydar, Roberto). Now I am no pedigree expert like many on this board are, but it seems to me like that indicates that stretching out should not bother him.
If he stays healthy I think he will be a factor in the bigger 3yo races in March and April.

[saucon17]

Did Mario Pino forget the mile race finishes at the first finish line
or was he told to ride him out and extra 1/16 of a mile to the second
finish line at FG. However he was impressive indeed.

[brianwspencer]

Wow, he made my boy Makeithapen look real real bad there.

This horse seems to have lots going for him, can't wait to see him throughout the Spring.

Hopefully, Makeithapen's people will think about the Illinois Derby if they really want to go to Louisville with him -- there's enough good money to be made there for a single race on a track that he loves.

[brianwspencer]

Originally Posted by saucon17

Did Mario Pino forget the mile race finishes at the first finish line
or was he told to ride him out and extra 1/16 of a mile to the second
finish line at FG. However he was impressive indeed.

From drf.com

Hard Spun completed the mile - which ends at the sixteenth pole finish line - in 1:37.87 and galloped out an extra sixteenth of a mile to the normal finish line, per instructions from trainer Larry Jones.

[jpops757]

Originally Posted by brianwspencer

From drf.com

Hard Spun completed the mile - which ends at the sixteenth pole finish line - in 1:37.87 and galloped out an extra sixteenth of a mile to the normal finish line, per instructions from trainer Larry Jones.

A jockey doing as instructed. How strange.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by miraja2

Yes he is.
I have not seen the race from today yet, but he does seem interesting. His previous races have looked nice, and his pedigree seems to indicate that he could be effective when the spring 3yo races stretch out to 8.5 and 9 furlongs. He is by Danzig, of course, but more importantly the dam side of his pedigree is dominated by horses that were all G1 winners at 10f and beyond (Turkoman, Alydar, Roberto). Now I am no pedigree expert like many on this board are, but it seems to me like that indicates that stretching out should not bother him.
If he stays healthy I think he will be a factor in the bigger 3yo races in March and April.

don't forget that danzig sired danzig connection, a belmont winner.

congrats to hard spun, may his great racing continue!!

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by Danzig188

don't forget that danzig sired danzig connection, a belmont winner.

congrats to hard spun, may his great racing continue!!

True. Danzig has sired some good dirt routers in Pine Bluff, Chiefs Crown, Stephens Odyssey, Polish Navy etc. But from what I know about it, the dam is more important than the sire in determining a horse's ability to stay going 9f and beyond.
Take your Danzig Connection example. His broodmare sire (Sir Ivor) was a multible stakes winner at the lengthy distance of 12f. More importantly, Danzig Connection had a lot of Princequillo on his dam's side. That is where the whole mutant heart business comes into play, and is probably why DC could win going 12f.
Anyway, I digress....Hard Spun appears to have talent and a pedigree that indicates he might be strong going 9f and beyond. He could be a nice 3yo.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by miraja2

True. Danzig has had sired some good dirt routers in Pine Bluff, Chiefs Crown, Stephens Odyssey, Polish Navy etc. But from what I know about it, the dam is more important than the sire in determining a horse's ability to stay going 9f and beyond.
Take your Danzig Connection example. His broodmare sire (Sir Ivor) was a multible stakes winner at the lengthy distance of 12f. More importantly, Danzig Connection had a lot of Princequillo on his dam's side. That is where the whole mutant heart business comes into play, and is probably why DC could win going 12f.
Anyway, I digress....Hard Spun appears to have talent and a pedigree that indicates he might be strong going 9f and beyond. He could be a nice 3yo.

i hope he turns out well. never been up on a 3 yo this early in the year. been watching him since two races ago....

and yeah, it's supposed to be speed from the sire, stamina from the dam, but...horses don't know who their parents are!

danzig sires anything and everything. an amazing horse.

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by Danzig188

but...horses don't know who their parents are!

Of course. Pedigree alone is NEVER a reason to be excited about a horse's chances. I get excited about a horse when it shows ability (which this colt has) AND has a pedigree which indicates that it SHOULD be able to stretch out.
I think you are right to get excited about this colt even though it is early. For me the key to enjoying the 3yo spring season is not to treat the races as nothing more than Kentucky Derby preps.
For example, if someone was excited about Lawyer Ron early last year, guess what, they were right! Just because he was a nonfactor in the Derby and missed the rest of the TC, his performance in the Risen Star/Southwest/Rebel/Arkansas Derby means that his early backers were right. It should not be ALL about the first Saturday in May.
Some people enjoy trying to pick the winner of the Kentucky Derby in January. Fine. I don't. I have no way of knowing what kind of form Hard Spun will be in 4 months from now, or what other quality 3yos will emerge, but I do think he is a colt to watch for in the bigger 3yo races in the weeks ahead.

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by jpops757

A jockey doing as instructed. How strange.

LMAO!

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by miraja2

Of course. Pedigree alone is NEVER a reason to be excited about a horse's chances. I get excited about a horse when it shows ability (which this colt has) AND has a pedigree which indicates that it SHOULD be able to stretch out.
I think you are right to get excited about this colt even though it is early. For me the key to enjoying the 3yo spring season is not to treat the races as nothing more than Kentucky Derby preps.
For example, if someone was excited about Lawyer Ron early last year, guess what, they were right! Just because he was a nonfactor in the Derby and missed the rest of the TC, his performance in the Risen Star/Southwest/Rebel/Arkansas Derby means that his early backers were right. It should not be ALL about the first Saturday in May.
Some people enjoy trying to pick the winner of the Kentucky Derby in January. Fine. I don't. I have no way of knowing what kind of form Hard Spun will be in 4 months from now, or what other quality 3yos will emerge, but I do think he is a colt to watch for in the bigger 3yo races in the weeks ahead.

true...so many horses are considered a failure if they don't win in ky, but only ONE horse can win--every other 3 yo is a failure, or overrated if they don't?!

another horse i got on somewhat early was smarty--but i didn't think he was truly going to win the derby til he won the ark derby. i turned to my kids after he crossed the finish that day and said there's your derby horse. it was fun-but in a way, not so fun...you know that if you're right, that the horse is that good, you're days watching him are numbered.

i know rick porter was already offered a lot of money for this guy-those offers will only get bigger if he continues to do so well.

[Sightseek]

If he stays at Fair Grounds looks like he'll be tested against Circular Quay on the road to the Derby. Pletcher reported as saying he thought the longer stretch would be most beneficial to CQ's running style.

[SniperSB23]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

If he stays at Fair Grounds looks like he'll be tested against Circular Quay on the road to the Derby. Pletcher reported as saying he thought the longer stretch would be most beneficial to CQ's running style.

Isn't Tabor a poly lover? Wouldn't surprise me to see the horse go to the Lane's End and the Blue Grass as his preps.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by SniperSB23

Isn't Tabor a poly lover? Wouldn't surprise me to see the horse go to the Lane's End and the Blue Grass as his preps.

Today's racing form...

[jpops757]

We all talk about top trainers . Larry Jones is always under the radar. I would like any of you name one horse he has trained that under performed. He always has his runners ready and seem to always do the right thing for his horses. These conection are a big plus mark.

[Samarta]

Originally Posted by Danzig188

true...so many horses are considered a failure if they don't win in ky, but only ONE horse can win--every other 3 yo is a failure, or overrated if they don't?!

another horse i got on somewhat early was smarty--but i didn't think he was truly going to win the derby til he won the ark derby. i turned to my kids after he crossed the finish that day and said there's your derby horse. it was fun-but in a way, not so fun...you know that if you're right, that the horse is that good, you're days watching him are numbered.

i know rick porter was already offered a lot of money for this guy-those offers will only get bigger if he continues to do so well.

No way he sells him no matter what the offer is.

[Samarta]

One thing I find interesting is that Jones shipped Hard Spun to Oaklawn for the Winter and is now indicating that he will take the Louisiana route and not the Arkansas route to the Derby. If that pans out, I wonder how the folks at Oaklawn will feel about the connections. Probably already a little strained to begin with.

[SniperSB23]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

Problem with the Lane's End is it's only 2 weeks before the Bluegrass and I doubt Pletcher wants to run him so close back to back. I expect we'll see him in the Risen Star, LA Derby and then the Bluegrass.

The Lane's End is 3/24 and the Blue Grass 4/14 so that gives three weeks in between which is certainly possible if they want to go that route. The Risen Star is going to be loaded if CQ shows up.

[SniperSB23]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

Yeah you're right. Who else is pointing for the Risen Star?

Hard Spun and a couple sleeper Derby horses I like in Grasshopper and Zanjero. I was thinking Makeithapencaptain too but after his effort yesterday he hardly improves the race if he goes.