Ertijaal is 37th Stakes winner for Hard Spun

Hard Spun sired his latest Stakes winner January 11 in South Africa as three-year-old Ertijaal improved his perfect record to three-for-three in the Sea Cottage Stakes at Turffontein. The colt once again proved much the best in the one-mile turf race for Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum and trainer Mike De Kock.

Bred by Shadwell Stud Australasia Ltd, Ertijaal is out of the mare Alharir, and is a half-brother to G2 Al Fahidi Fort winner at Meydan Mushreq. The colt's second dam is Stakes winner Asawir.

Hard Spun, a son of Danzig, had a fantastic year in 2014 with three G1 winners. Son Wicked Strong won both the G1 Wood Memorial and G2 Jim Dandy, and daughter Hard Not To Like impressed in the G1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland. They were followed by Hardest Core who posted a strong win in the G1 Arlington Million. Among the sire's other top runners lifetime are Eclipse Champion Questing and G1 Mother Goose Stakes winner Zo Impressive from his first crop of runners.

Hard Spun's stud fee for the 2015 breeding season is $35,000 live foal, stands and nurses.