Amazing story on Hardest Core, winner of Arlington Million!

[jellac]

As I understood it from watching/listening to HRTV coverage with a lot of distractions going on at home: he was originally purchased as a Steeple Chase prospect, went through three trainers - but no change in ownership - AND nearly died during his gelding (!) - to come off the winner in the Arlington Millions, closing with a late charge to take the lead from contenders with more favorable odds and takes home $1MM to his faithful owner..

His name caught my ear and I like his sire - Hard Spun - for horses contending in a race like the Arlington Million - and his odds were attractive for someone (like me ) who's always looking for a price - but, even I had to pause when I heard that during his gelding 18' of his intestines were laid out on the floor ...and here he is racing in one of the summer's greatest turf races....but he proved my hesitation wrong with that swift turn of foot and determined effort at the end of the race.

Has anyone seen more on his 'story' in the racing media - I think it quite a story of his having the innate spirit of a fighter and of his owner's and trainer's deep belief in him. Truly against all odds that he lived, went on to heal well and be healthy enough to have an athletic life and even more amazing to do so at the most rigorous of horse sports, fully expended, maximum exertion, undaunted.

Here's his pedigree - of the type you rarely see today -

http://www.pedigreequery.com/hardest+core

[TJ]

Here's an article from the Bloodhorse. TJ
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... on-million

[valjoe]

Nice story, he truly lived up to his name

[jellac]

Thanks for posting the article TJ ! Reading that and the posts that followed it had me reliving the excitement of watching that race all over again....and gave me a big smile as I have been the proud co-owner of a racing stable of two, and - with much less success, I might add, never doubted their winning ability....at some level !

[Toccet02]

Nice outcross pedigree...and second dam is dam of Gilded Time, whose daughters I love.

[TJ]

Here's the race....trainer Graham has done very well with a limited number of starters (215 starts over his entire 14 year career while winning 27 races and finishing 2nd and third an additional 62 times). The last three years have been his best with just a handful of starters 2012, 4 starts 2-0-1, 2013, 9 starts 4-1-0, 2014, 6 starts 5-0-0.
http://www1.drf.com/displayVideo.do?tra ... ountry=USA