Special Hard Spun filly beats the boys in Desert Code

She’s So Special earns first Stakes victory at Santa Anita

Hard Spun’s three-year-old daughter She’s So Special lived up to her name on Saturday at Santa Anita, beating males and earning her first Black Type win in the Desert Code Stakes over five-and-a-half furlongs on turf.  It was her second consecutive victory against males after an allowance win over the same course and distance on May 15th.

She’s So Special broke well in the Desert Code and sat in fourth a couple lengths off the leaders before taking the lead in deep stretch to win by a half-length for trainer Peter Miller, jockey Flavien Prat and owner Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners.  It was her fourth win from nine starts.

Bred in Kentucky by Gary and Mary West, She’s So Special is a daughter of the Pulpit mare Born Special. She was a $60,000 two-year-old purchase at OBS March last year.

Hard Spun’s recent top performers include 2019 G1 Ashland winner Out For a Spin, 2019 G1 La Brea winner and 2020 G2 Santa Monica Stakes winner Hard Not To Love, and 2019 G1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Spun to Run.  Only Curlin could match Hard Spun's five Graded Stakes-winning three-year-olds in 2019.  He’s also the sire of recent two-year-old Churchill Downs maiden winner and TDN Rising Star Beautiful Memories.