Hard Love should like it as distances stretch out

ELMONT, N.Y. – With Hard Love’s victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Woodhaven Stakes at 1 1/16 miles under his belt, trainer Jonathan Thomas is looking forward to stretching the 3-year-old out in distance in races like the Pennine Ridge at 1 1/8 miles on May 29 and the $1 million Belmont Derby going 1 1/4 miles on July 10.

“He’s supposed to improve fitness-wise,” Thomas said. “I think he’s going to relish another furlong or two more.”

In 2018, Thomas won both the Pennine Ridge and Belmont Derby with Catholic Boy. That colt also won the Grade 1 Travers on dirt.

Thomas said he “could only hope” Hard Love could turn into another Catholic Boy. Thomas does know he won’t be trying Hard Love on the dirt anytime soon.

“Catholic Boy was a real good horse in the morning, where this horse doesn’t seem to have that much dirt aptitude,” Thomas said. “That’s fine, that’s not what we bought him for. Hopefully, he won’t have to breeze on the dirt again until the fall.”

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