Portmagee goes gate to wire to capture the License Fee Stakes at Belmont Park

Two daughters of Hard Spun finish in the money as Summer Reading closes for third

Portmagee took the lead right out of the starting gate and never looked back as she cruised to a one-and-a-half length victory in the six-furlong License Fee Stakes at Belmont Park.

The four-year-old filly by Hard Spun was making her Stakes debut in the License Fee. The victory improved her record to three wins and two thirds in five career starts.

Portmagee was bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC. The chestnut filly is out of Kauai Calls, a winning daughter of Fusaichi Pegasus. Kauai Calls is out of G3 Santa Ysabel winner, Collect Call, and is a half-sister to multiple Graded Stakes winner, Old Fashioned (G2 Remsen, G3 Southwest Stakes).

Hard Spun has had an exceptional start to the 2017 racing year, having now sired seven individual Stakes winners. In addition to Portmagee, Hard Spun is the sire of Le Romain (G1 Canterbury Stakes, G3 Southern Cross Stakes), Promising Run (G2 Al Rashidiya), Nomorerichblondes (G3 UAE Oaks), Taghleeb (G3 W.L. McKnight), Hard Aces (G3 Tokyo City Cup), and Gatting (G2 WATC Derby, Listed Melvista Stakes in Australia).

Hard Spun is standing the 2017 breeding season at Jonabell Farm for $45,000 stands and nurses.