Hard Not to Love (foaled May 11th, 2016) is a Canadian Thoroughbred racehorse and the winner of the 2019 La Brea Stakes.[1]

Hard Not to Love
SireHard Spun
GrandsireDanzig
DamLoving Vindication
DamsireVindication
SexFilly
Foaled2016
CountryCanada
BreederAnderson Farms Ont. Inc.
OwnerMercedes Stables LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds, Scott Dilworth, Dorothy Ingordo, David Ingordo,
F. Steve Mooney
TrainerJohn Shirreffs
Record8:5-2-1
Earnings$528,480
Major wins
La Brea Stakes (2019)
Santa Monica Stakes (2020)

Career

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Hard Not to Love's first race was on February 16, 2019, at Santa Anita, where she came in first in a Maiden Special Weight Race. The horse then got her second straight win two months later in an April 13, 2019, Allowance Optional Claiming race.[1]

On May 4, 2019, she competed in the listed $75,000 Angels Flight Stakes. She was seen as the second favorite at 9:5 odds behind the 8:5 horse, Sneaking Out. [2] She ended up finishing in 2nd after the original winner, Sneaking Out was disqualified for bumping My Miss Rose.[3]

She picked up another win in an October 25, 2019, Allowance Optional Claiming race at Santa Anita Park, and then won her first stakes race - the Grade-1 La Brea Stakes. She came in as the 11:1 underdog and defeated the 3:5 favorite Bellafina by 2 1/4th lengths.[4] The win netted Hard Not to Love $301,404.

On February 15, 2020, she started out her 2020 season with another stakes win. This time, she won the won Grade-2 2020 Santa Monica Stakes. She came in as the 3:5 favorite and delivered, giving her 5 wins in 6 starts. [5]

On March 14, 2020, she competed in the Grade-1 Beholder Mile Stakes. She came in as the 3:5 favorite but was beaten by 3 1/4th lengths by Ce Ce.[6]

On May 31, 2020, she competed in the Grade-2 Santa Maria Stakes. she came in as the 2:1 second favorite but was defeated, along with Ce Ce by 10:1 longshot Fighting Mad by 3 1/4th lengths.[7]

Pedigree

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Pedigree of Hard Not to Love (USA), 2016[8]
Sire
Hard Spun (USA)
b. 2004
Danzig (USA)
b. 1997
Northern Dancer Nearctic
Natalma
Pas de Nom Admiral's Voyage
Petitioner
Turkish Tryst (USA)
b. 1991
Turkoman Alydar
Taba
Darbyvail Roberto
Luiana
Dam
Loving Vindication (USA)
b. 2005
Vindication (USA)
b. 2000
Seattle Slew Bold Reasoning
My Charmer
Strawberry Reason Strawberry Road
Pretty Reason
Chimichurri (USA)
b. 2000
Elusive Quality Gone West
Touch of Greatness
Hard Knocker Raja Baba
Homespun

References

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  1. ^ a b "Hard Not to Love". Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  2. ^ "Hard Not To Love Takes Perfect Record into Angels Flight". Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  3. ^ "MISS MY ROSE STALKS PACE AND IS MOVED UP TO WIN VIA DQ IN $75,000 ANGELS FLIGHT STAKES". Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  4. ^ "Hard Not to Love Turns Back Bellafina for La Brea Score". Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  5. ^ "Hard Not to Love wins Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita". Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  6. ^ "Ce Ce Runs Down Hard Not to Love in Beholder Mile". Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  7. ^ "Bob Baffert's Fighting Mad wins easily in Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita". Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  8. ^ "Hard Not to Love". Retrieved 9 January 2020.