First G1 winner for Hard Spun

Second crop sire Hard Spun sired his first G1 winner June 23 as his three-year-old daughter Zo Impressive won the G1 Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park.

Aptly named, Zo Impressive stalked the pacesetter in the time-honoured 1700m event. She made a sweeping move on the final turn and fought hard in the straight for a strong win. Zo Impressive defeated two G1 winners, including G1 Kentucky Oaks winner Believe You Can amongst the stellar field.

The consistent Zo Impressive has finished first or second in all of her starts. A winner on debut at Gulfstream in 2012, Zo Impressive followed up with an Allowance win over the same track. She then finished second in both the G2 Gulfstream Oaks and G1 Acorn Stakes, prior to the Mother Goose victory.

A homebred for Live Oak Plantation, Zo Impressive is out of G1 Selene Stakes winner Zoftig, who has also produced G1 Acorn Stakes winner Zaftig. The filly is trained by Thomas Albertrani.

Zo Impressive is the first G1 winner for Hard Spun, who has sired G2 winner Red Duke and G3 winner Hierro. The leading US second-crop sire by Stakes winners, his 10 black-type winners include Stakes winner/G1-placed Hard Not To Like as well.

Hard Spun's oldest Australian offspring are two-year-olds and include G3-performed filly Coins as well as metropolitan winners Crystal Web and Textiles. The G1 winner will stand at Darley Northwood Park for $16,500 (inc. GST) in 2012.