Flying P Stable’s Kupuna uncorked a powerful stretch rally to win the $100,000 Colonel E.R. Bradley Memorial at Fair Grounds on Saturday, Jan. 17.
It was the second Stakes win for the gelded son of Hard Spun, who has now won Stakes on both turf and dirt.
Trained by Norm Casse, Luis Saez piloted Kupuna to a 1 1/4-length victory over Lagynos, covering 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.37.
After getting shuffled back in the early going, Kupuna was ninth early in the field of 11, as Theismann set the tempo. After advancing on the leaders, Kupuna swung six wide at the top of the stretch, edged clear of Lagynos in the final sixteenth and held that foe at bay. Cameo Performance rallied late for third.
Kupuna was bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings and Greg Biagi and is out of the winning Malibu Moon mare, Hanalei Hailey. Second dam is the multiple Stakes winner Miz United States, who has also produced multiple Stakes winner, Exaggerated, and Graded Stakes-placed Scampering.
Hard Spun was represented by 21 Stakes horses in 2025 - more than any other stallion standing for less than $45,000. A few of his Graded Stakes winners last year included Gas Me Up, winner of the G2 Joe Hernandez Stakes, Elysian Field, winner of the G3 Seaway Stakes and Pondering, winner of the G3 Bessarabian.
Hard Spun will stand the 2026 breeding season at Jonabell Farm for $20,000, stands and nurses.
