Contenders

J. Larry Jones

Jones, a Hopkinsville, Kentucky native, currently lives in Henderson, near Ellis Park, with his wife and four children. Jones and his wife work closely together in their 20 horse operation, splitting time between Oaklawn in the winter and Delaware and Kentucky the remainder of the year. Jones has had great success with fillies in recent years: Island Sand won the Acorn (GI) and $1 million Delaware Handicap (GII) and was second in the 2004 Kentucky Oaks; Ruby's Reception took the 2003 Fantasy (GII); and Josh's Madelyn won the 2004 Raven Run (GII). Hard Spun would be his first Kentucky Derby starter.

Mario Pino

Born in Wilmington, Delaware, on September 8, 1961, veteran jockey Mario Pino has been riding since the late 1970s. He grew up on a farm and was introduced to the track by a friend who galloped horses at Delaware Park. He has ridden primarily on the mid-Atlantic circuit, where he has been the leading rider numerous times at meets at Laurel, Pimlico and Delaware Park. Since that first win at Bowie Racecourse in 1979, he has amassed over 5,800 wins and over $98 million in purse winnings. In 2006, his 196 victories were good enough to rank him in the top 30 nationally. He has stated that his favorite track to ride at is Colonial Downs, particularly the turf course there. He would be making his first start in the Kentucky Derby.

Fox Hill Farms Inc.

Fox Hill Farms is the racing name of Richard Porter, a resident of Hobe Sound, Florida. An automobile dealer and lifetime racing fan, Porter has been a horse owner for about a dozen years. In addition to Jones, he also employs trainers Tom Albertrani, Kiaran McLauglin and Michael Matz for his stable of approximately 30 horses. The latter won last year's Breeders' Cup Distaff for Porter with Round Pond. His other top horses to race were multiple grade one filly Jostle and top 2004 2-year-old Rockport Harbor.

Michael Moran & Brushwood Stable (PA)

Brushwood Stable, owned by Betty Moran, located in Malvern, PA, is ranked among the nation's premier equine auction buyers and sellers. Primarily a thoroughbred racing and breeding operation, Brushwood also maintains a stable of 25 thoroughbreds with various trainers throughout the country. Most notable in Brushwood Stable’s major accomplishments is Crème Fraiche. In 1985, he became the only gelding to win the Belmont. Crème Fraiche’s time of 2:27 was the second-fastest since Secretariat's 2:24 in 1973. Brushwood also won English Grand National in 2000 with Papillion. Mrs. Moran is one of only nine American owners to win the historic race, which was first run in 1839.Mrs. Moran has three sons, Michael, James and Ranney, and three daughters, Betsy, Frances and Caroline. In 2005, Betty was named to the Thoroughbred Charities of America Board of Directors due to extensive philanthorpic work in her home state.

Hard Spun is by Danzig, one of the top sires in Thoroughbred history, who passed away in January, 2006. Danzig topped the general sires list from 1991-93, one of only four horses in the last 100 years, along with Bold Ruler, Broomstick and Bull Lea, to head the list for as many as three straight seasons. Unbeaten in three starts in an injury-shortened career, Danzig got off to quick start as a stallion with three Grade One winners - Chief's Crown, Contredance, and Stephan's Odyssey - from his first crop. To date, Danzig is represented by 194 stakes winners, tops among North American stallions. Among that group are his son Lure, winner of consecutive Breeders' Cup Miles (GI). Another son, War Chant, took the 2000 Mile and his daughter Dance Smartly captured the 1991 Breeders' Cup Distaff (GI), the same year she was Canada's Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year. His offspring are equally adept on turf or dirt, and though he never sired a Kentucky Derby winner, he has two classic winners to his credit: Danzig Connection (Belmont) and Pine Bluff (Preakness). Also, his son Danehill is the all-time leading sire of stakes winners, with over 310.

Out of the Turkoman mare Turkish Tryst, all four of Hard Spun's siblings are winners, including the restricted stakes winner Our Rite of Spring and the stakes placed Wild Current. Turkish Tryst herself won the April Run at Pimlico and was third in the Vinery Matchmaker (GII). She is out a Darbyvail, a half-sister to 1974 champion 3-year-old and Preakness and Belmont winner Little Current, as well as Prayers'n Promises, winner of the Matron (GI). Hard Spun's third dam, Luiana, adds to Hard Spun's stamina, being a half-sister to both 1963 Kentucky Derby and Belmont winner Chateaugay and Primonetta, champion older mare in the United States. Hard Spun is a complete outcross in his first four generations, and possesses a very nice balance of stamina sires across both sides of his pedigree. Dosage Index: 2.67. - by Mark Hoard

HARD SPUN was the buzz of the backside on April 30 after he tore through a five furlong workout in :57.53, a move many found to be much to quick just five days prior to the Kentucky Derby; trainer Larry Jones seems unconcerned about the sharp move. Hard Spun has won five of his six lifetime starts but has never met the quality type horses he will encounter in the Derby. His 3 ¼-length win in the Lanes End (Grade 2) was visually impressive but saw its credibility diminish with the subsequent defeats of Sedgefield in the Transylvania (Grade 3) and Joe Got Even in the Lexington (Grade 2). It seems more than likely that jockey Mario Pino will take advantage of post eight and stay close to the pacesetters. After that, it simply becomes a question of how good Hard Spun really is and how far he can keep going when the fight gets tough turning for home.