Free As A Bird soars in License Fee Stakes

Hard Spun mare wins at Belmont

Hard Spun's five-year-old daughter Free As A Bird proved worthy of her 3-2 favoritism May 11 with a strong win in the License Fee Stakes at Belmont. Sounds Of The City, by Street Cry, finished third.

In the six-furlong race on the turf Free As A Bird ran in second to track the pace. Turning for home the mare made her move, taking over the lead in the stretch for the success.

A homebred for Elizabeth Jones Valando, it was the first Stakes win for the mare who most recently ran a narrow second in the Giant's Causeway Stakes at Keeneland. Out of G3 Forward Gal Stakes winner and G1 Ashland Stakes-placed mare Take The Cake, Free As A Bird is a half-sister to Stakes winner Let Me Entertain U.

Hard Spun has had a tremendous year, with G1 Wood Memorial Stakes winner Wicked Strong and G1 Jenny Wiley Stakes winner Hard Not To Like in April. Other top runners by the sire include Eclipse Champion Questing and G1 Mother Goose Stakes victress Zo Impressive.