Hard Spun's Easter Gift wraps up G3 Smarty Jones

Easter Gift, a lightly-raced son of Hard Spun, just missed by a neck in his first career Graded try, the G3 Pegasus on June 17, but he was not going to be denied in the G3 Smarty Jones on Labor Day. The bay sophomore raced behind the leaders early on and then collared the leader in mid stretch only to pull away impressively to win by four and one-half lengths. He now shows a record with three wins and one second from five starts.

Easter Gift was bred by Ward Williford in Kentucky and is out of the multiple Stakes winner and multiple G2-placed Angel Gift. He also has a Stakes-placed half-brother in Wings Of An Angel. Angel Gift if out of a full sister to the multiple champion Strawberry Road.

Hard Spun's 14 Stakes winners from his first crop include dual G1 winner Questing and G1 Mother Goose winner Zo Impressive. He is also the sire of European G2 winner Red Duke and 2012 G3 winner Hierro. His 24 Stakes horses include a remarkable 15 in Graded/Group company. No other sire in history has produce as many Stakes winners as quickly as Hard Spun.

Hard Spun stands at Northwood Park for $16,500 (including GST).