TDN RISING STARS

November 9, 2011 - Churchill Downs, Race 8, Msw, USD $46,000, 7f

Hierro, C, 2, 2009 by Hard Spun

1st Dam: Brief Bliss (GSP), by Navarone
2nd Dam: Annul, by Conquistador Cielo
3rd Dam: Bygones, by Lyphard

Owner: Stonestreet Stables LLC
Breeder: Sally Andersen (KY)
Trainer: Steven M Asmussen

Never far from the front through easy fractions of :23.19 and :46.84 here, Hierro cruised up three wide at the quarter pole and put the race to bed within a few strides while racing under a stranglehold as the 4-5 choice. It was an eye-catching 5 1/4 lengths back to Sir Bond (Street Sense) in second. A troubled fifth at Saratoga Sept. 3 in a race won by subsequent GI Champagne S. runner-up Alpha (Bernardini) (see TDN Blog), Hierro caught a sloppy Belmont main track on Super Saturday Oct. 1 and was beaten less than a length in second. Hierro, a half-brother to Cherokee Triangle (Cherokee Run), MSW & GSP, $330,294, becomes the 23rd winner for his freshman sire (by Danzig). "I had seen him breeze when I went down to see horses that [2-year-old consignor] Dave Scanlon had working for the Palm Meadows sale," said Stonestreet bloodstock advisor John Moynihan. "He was one of the most impressive horses breezing that day [end of January], and he was going to be in the OBS March Sale a few weeks after Palm Meadows." He continued, "Dave really liked him, and he seemed to get better and better with time. We knew we really liked him, and the fact that Dave liked him a lot meant a lot to us. He's trained a lot of horses for us, and if he gives his stamp of approval, we know that's good." Hierro will winter with trainer Steve Asmussen's first string, whether in either California or New Orleans. Sales history: $350,000 2yo 2011 OBSMAR; $80,000 RNA yrl '10 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: 3-1-1-0, $41,600.