Bred and raced by Prince Ahmed bin Salman's The Thoroughbred Corp., Spain was out of the winning mare Drina.
Her sire was Thunder Gulch, a winner of five Grade I races including the 1995 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.
Given little chance by bettors of defeating notable fillies such as Surfside and the heavily favored Riboletta, Spain was sent off at odds of more than 55:1.
[2] Following the death of Prince Ahmed bin Salman in 2002, Spain was sold to Gerry Dilger of Dromoland Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, for $5.3 million at the November 2003 Keeneland Sales while carrying her second foal by Storm Cat, eventually named Calcaria.
A colt named Plan, he won in Ireland for owner Michael Tabor before being sold to IEAH Stables, for whom he races in the United States.