Strengths: This 3-year-old possesses a remarkable cruising speed that can run other front-runners off their feet and sports a pedigree worthy of any classic distance. Battle-tested throughout a long, difficult season that saw him join Curlin as the only horses to dance all three legs of the Triple Crown.

Weaknesses: Hard Spun's eye-catching win in the 7-furlong King's Bishop over the summer underscores the colt's inability to relax and settle in his longest-distance efforts. In raises some doubt as to whether his optimum efforts would come at shorter trips.

In The Genes: Legendary sire Danzig has produced 5 Breeders' Cup race winners, second only to Sadler's Wells (6). His BC influence dates back to the very first race in the series' history, when his Chief's Crown captured the inaugural Juvenile. He's a maternal grandson of Turkoman, who finished second and third in his two BC Classic appearances.

Status: In June of 2007, owner Rick Porter sold the breeding rights to Hard Spun. Following his runner-up finish in the Classic, he will be shipped to Sheikh Mohammed's Darley Stud in Lexington, Ky. His initial stud fee will be $50,000. Hard Spun had ten starts in 2007, earning $2,572,500 and ranking him fourth on the list of top horses by earnings. After the 2008 breeding season in the Bluegrass, he will shuttle to Darley Australia for the Southern Hemisphere 2008 season.

Bet You Didn't Know: There have been more offspring by Danzig to race in the Breeders' Cup all-time (46) than any other stallion. Interestingly, only 1 of those starters came in the Classic, 1985 Classic fourth-place finisher Chief's Crown.