Hey Adrian beats the boys in Loyalty Stakes

Hey Adrian, facing males in her first stakes effort, posted a tenacious victory over Danefield in the $75,000 Loyalty Stakes on Saturday at Belterra Park.

Leaving from the rail in a field of eight Ohio-bred 2-year-olds, Hey Adrian was sent right to the front by jockey Juan Velez. She held the lead through an opening quarter-mile in 22.50 seconds and a half in 46.86, with Danefield close.

Hey Adrian had been racing slightly off the rail, and as they turned for home Danefield took advantage of the gap and squeezed through to her inside. The two battled the length of the stretch, but Hey Adrian prevailed by a neck at the wire.

It was 9 1/2 lengths back to Stone Cold Cat in third, followed by Firsthand Justice. Doc Gardner, Truest of Them All, Touchnotthecomet, and favored Patti Go Girl – the only other filly in the field – completed the order of finish.

The winner, a daughter of Twinspired, is trained by her breeder and owner, Joshua Faulkner. She returned $12.20 and completed six furlongs over a sealed, sloppy track in 1:12.13. Her record stands at 2-0-1 from four starts, with earnings of $66,000.