With a runner-up finish in the recent Ellis Park Derby, Virginia-bred Attachment Rate became eligible for the September 5 Kentucky Derby. The Dale Romans trainee was bred by Mr. & Mrs. Oliver Iselin III. In 2020, the Hard Spun colt has earned $142,925 in purse monies. Photos are courtesy of Coady Photography and show Attachment Rate on the Churchill Downs track August 27.
So far, a victory at the stakes level has proven elusive for Attachment Rate. But consistent and repeated in-the-mix efforts against tough competition have carried Attachment Rate to uncommon heights, with a runner-up effort in the Ellis Park Derby qualifying the chestnut colt to the 2020 Kentucky Derby (G1).
| Attachment Rate Pedigree | ||
| Danzig | ||
| Hard Spun | ||
| Turkish Tryst | ||
| Attachment Rate | ||
| Afleet Alex | ||
| Aristra | ||
| Sunset Service |
Consistency and durability were certainly hallmarks of Attachment Rate’s sire, the tough-as-nails Hard Spun. Though his signature victory came in the King’s Bishop (G1) dashing 7 furlongs at Saratoga, Hard Spun was much more than a sprinter. A son of Danzig out of the Turkoman mare Turkish Tryst, Hard Spun packed 13 starts into a productive career spanning just over a year, with top-three finishes in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness (G1), Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), and Haskell (G1) among his excellent efforts running 1 1/8 miles or farther.
At stud, Hard Spun has proven versatile, siring major winners over a wide variety of distances and surfaces. With his excellent speed, some folks might have assumed Hard Spun would sire a preponderance of early-maturing sprinter/milers, but in fact the opposite has been true. The progeny of Hard Spun often need time to reach their peak, and a large handful have thrived running 1 1/4 miles or longer—Santa Anita Handicap (G1) winner Hard Aces, Arlington Million (G1) victor Hardest Core, Alabama (G1) winner Questing, and Marathon (G2) winner Rocketry all come to mind.
Attachment Rate’s dam, Aristra, was considerably less accomplished than Hard Spun as a racehorse, scoring her lone victory in a one-mile and 70-yard maiden claiming race at Penn National. But as a broodmare she’s enjoyed a bit more luck; her first four foals to race have all reached the winner’s circle running at least a mile.
The long-winded nature of Aristra’s foals isn’t surprising since she’s a daughter of 2005 Preakness and Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Afleet Alex, whose best foals include 1 1/4-mile Travers (G1) winner Afleet Express and 2011 Breeders’ Cup Marathon (G2) winner Afleet Again. Just as significantly, Aristra was produced by the Deputy Minister mare Sunset Service, previously the dam of 1 1/8-mile Flying Concert S. winner Vespers and 1 1/8-mile Beautiful Day S. victor Database.
Attachment Rate might not be the most heralded colt in the prospective Kentucky Derby field, but from a pedigree perspective, there’s no reason to think the 1 1/4-mile journey of the Run for the Roses will trip him up.