Harlington's first winner rushes clear at Woodbine

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C. DeMizio and Mary Biamonte's Its the Rush rallied to a 2 1/4-length victory in Saturday's 4TH race at Woodbine, becoming the first winner sired by the royally-bred Grade 2 hero Harlington.

The Ralph Biamonte juvenile took up an early stalking spot for Eurico Da Silva, accosted the 3-5 front runner Alert in Class in midstretch, and drew away. Dispatched as the 7-2 second choice in her second start, Its the Rush finished the six-furlong maiden special weight in 1:12 on the Polytrack.

Bred by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings Inc. in Ontario, the bay filly fetched $3,500 as a Keeneland September yearling before selling to her current connections for $35,000 at OBS April. She is out of the winning Storm Boot mare Jungle Storm, who is herself a full sister to Grade 3-winning sire Primal Storm.

Harlington, a son of Unbridled and Hall of Famer Serena's Song, commanded $2.8 million as a yearling at the 2003 Keeneland September Sale. Up in time in his debut as a juvenile, he rolled to a three-length allowance score next time out at Gulfstream Park. Harlington suffered his first loss when sixth in the Grade 3 Risen Star at Fair Grounds, which he exited with an ankle injury that knocked him off the 2005 Triple Crown trail.

Returning to action nearly 10 months later, Harlington romped by five lengths in a second-level allowance at Aqueduct and brought his sharp form down to Gulfstream. The dark bay captured a third-level allowance and extended his winning streak to three with a hard-fought decision in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap.

Harlington then finished fourth to eventual 2006 Horse of the Year Invasor in the Grade 1 Pimlico Special, and headed to the sidelines again with an injury. Off for a year, he made a smashing reappearance in a Belmont Park allowance, but his comeback lasted just one race. Harlington was not seen again for another year. He made two starts in 2008, calling it a career following a fourth in the Grade 1 Suburban Handicap, and went to stud with $370,000 in earnings from his 10-6-0-1 record.

Out of 11-time Grade 1 heroine, $3.2-million earner and prolific producer Serena's Song, Harlington is a half-brother to Grade 2-winning sire Grand Reward; Group 1 star and graded stakes producer Sophisticat; Grade 3 victor Schramsberg; and multiple stakes scorer Serena's Tune, dam of multiple Group 3 winner Vocalised.

The 10-year-old Harlington stands at Hill 'n' Dale Farms near Lexington, Kentucky, for $7,500, stands and nurses.

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