Tightly Twisted springs mild upset to take Pimlico’s Big Dreyfus Stakes

Hard Spun mare holds off late bid of Counterparty Risk to notch her second Stakes win

Tightly Twisted tenaciously held off a late challenge by Counterparty Risk in deep stretch to win the Big Dreyfus Stakes by a half-length at Pimlico Race Course July 24.

It was the second Stakes victory for the five-year-old Hard Spun mare, who now has won two of her three starts this year.

Tightly Twisted sat just behind the leaders in fourth early as she saved ground along the inside rail. As the field hit the top of the stretch, Tightly Twisted was eased out from the rail to have a clear shot at the leaders. Set down for the drive, Tightly Twisted shot to the lead, quickly overhauling the frontrunners to take the lead. She then had plenty left in the tank to be able to hold off the late bid of Counterparty Risk to earn the half-length victory.

Tightly Twisted was bred in Kentucky by Normandy Farm LLC. She is out of Holdontoyourdream, a Graded Stakes-placed daughter of Proud Citizen. Holdontoyourdream’s half-sister, Liam’s Dream, won four of five career starts including the G3 Cicada Stakes. The female family has also produced notable Graded Stakes winners Distorted Humor (G2 Churchill Downs Handicap, etc.) and Danzig’s Beauty (G2 Gardenia Stakes).

In addition to Tightly Twisted, Hard Spun is represented by additional 2021 Stakes winners Silver State (G1 Metropolitan Handicap), Antoinette (G3 The Very One), Caddo River (Listed Smarty Jones Stakes) and Summer in Saratoga (Indiana General Assembly Distaff, etc.). He currently ranks among the top 10 sires of 2021 by progeny earnings.