After two bridesmaid appearances on the track, SPUN TO RUN’s Five a Side visited the winner’s circle on Saturday with a victory on the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) undercard.
Going off as the favorite in the seven-furlong dirt race, the filly kept pressure on the leader throughout the early running on a loose rein. Racing a few paths off the rail throughout the run, Five a Side had to deal with the leader drifting out in the stretch but that didn’t keep her from taking command near the line.
Once she was in front, she started to build her margin and scored by 1 ¼ lengths in the end with all but the second and third placed runners 18 or more lengths behind.
Trained by John Servis for Mainline Stables and Avalon Racing Stables, Five a Side was a $100,000 Fasig-Tipton July graduate last year.
The Porta Pia Stables-bred is the first winner from two to race out of a winning Pulpit daughter of the stakes winning Silver Time. That mare is one of five stakes performers for Casnova Striker. This is also the family of Grade 1 winner Vahva among others.
SPUN TO RUN’s six winners is 11th best of all freshmen with his winners including the stakes placed Midnight Humor and Grade 3 fourth Night Beacon.