Spun Intended

6th-BAQ, $90K, Msw, 2yo, 1m, 3:36 p.m. One of only a pair of first-time starters in the field, DIGITAL OPS (Nyquist) is the second foal out of MSW/GISP Flora Dora (First Dude). Picked up on a final bid of $600,000 at this Spring's OBS March sale, the colt is a half-brother to 'TDN Rising Star' Spun Intended (Hard Spun). Drawn outside is fellow first timer and stablemate Unique Insight (Gun Runner). This one, a $360,000 Fasig-Tipton October pickup by Klaravich Stables, is a half to runaway Albany S. winner Drake's...

Bob Baffert supplies two-thirds of the field for Sunday's GIII Sham S. at Santa Anita, but he is no slam dunk to walk away with a record-extending ninth renewal of the event, given the imposing presence of 'TDN Rising Star' Spun Intended (Hard Spun). The chestnut had a bit of buzz about him ahead of his Oct. 30 debut over 6 1/2 furlongs of this main track, and he nearly overcame a slow start and wide trip to run Fort Warren (Curlin) to a half-length, a performance that was also...

Edge Racing and Muir Hut Stables' Spun Intended (c, 2, Hard Spun--Flora Dora, by First Dude) ran too good to lose his Oct. 30 debut at Santa Anita, just failing to overcome a brutal trip when dropping a half-length decision to the well-meant Fort Warren (Curlin). The latter earned the 'TDN Rising Star' nod for the win and Saturday afternoon, Spun Intended followed suit with a 'Rising Star'-worthy performance of his own where the surf meets the turf. Spun Intended was off slowly in that Oct. 30 bow and was...

Fort Warren (c, 2, Curlin--La Appassionata, by Bernardini), a $550,000 Keeneland September yearling acquisition, took race-long pressure through fast internal fractions and clung on gamely late to graduate at first asking Sunday at Santa Anita en route to the 'TDN Rising Star' distinction. He is the 22nd 'Rising Star' for his leading Hill 'n' Dale-based stallion. Away only fairly from the inside gate, Fort Warren had to be used some by go-to rider Juan Hernandez, but speared through to take up the running and covered the opening couple of furlongs...