Hard Spun Son Le Romain Aims for Fourth Group 1 Win

When Mark Carusi bought broodmare Mignard (AUS)at a Darley dispersal sale for just $20,000 a few years back, he had dreams of a horse like Le Romain (AUS). "Well maybe not that good, but I wanted to breed a good one," he said.

Carusi decided that American stallion Hard Spun  would be the right match for his mare, at the right price, and three group 1 victories later, he seems like a good judge. 

"It is not an easy game, but I thought a (2007) Kentucky Derby runner-up and Breeders Cup horse would do me (well). Everyone wanted to breed to a son of Danzig, so I thought this bloke could be just as good," Carusi said. "You hope to get a horse that might take you to good races, but Le Romain has taken us on the best ride of our lives."

Carusi gets the joy of racing from Le Romain and knows how lucky he is as the 5-year-old lines up in the group 1 PFD Food Services Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington Sept. 16.

"He pays for everything else," Carusi said. "You don't get many of him. He is racing in his 10th group 1 on Saturday and I have had horses that have had less starts than that without winning. He always runs well and you know you are going to the races with a chance."

Le Romain caused a shock when he won his first group 1 in the Girvan Waugh Randwick Guineas as a 3-year-old in March of 2016. He went to Flemington in October and won the Cantala Stakes (G1) before he downed Chautauqua in the Canterbury BMW Stakes (G1) this past March. 

Each of his group 1 wins have been with a different jockey and Ben Melham will look to be become the fourth to have top-level success aboard Le Romain Saturday.

After three runs back, trainer Kris Lees believes the mile might again prove the right trip for Le Romain.

"As he gets into his preparation, he gets better and stronger," Lees said. "Last start we just didn't get into the race from the barrier because of the way it was run, and if we had our time again we would have been up outside of the leader.

"The last time he was at Flemington he won a group 1 over this trip and he has drawn well to get the run to be hard to beat. We are taking on very good horses in Hartnell, Hey Doc, and Black Heart Bart."

Hartnell is the $1.75-1 favorite from the Godolphin barn after he won at 1,400 meters in his seasonal return.

"Not only were we very impressed by his return in the (group 2 Charge Of The Light Horse) PB Lawrence (J. J. Liston Stakes), where he was able to win very comfortably over 1400 (meters), but we've been very pleased with him in between runs," said trainer James Cummings. "This race is a little bit stronger than what he faced first up, and some of those horses will have an extra run under their belts.

"Hartnell might be a little vulnerable from that perspective, but he's certainly giving us all the indications that he's ready to fire."