Hard Not to Love hard not to like in Santa Monica

ARCADIA, Calif. – Although she is missing her left eye and suffers from bouts of severe anxiety, Hard Not to Love’s attributes compensate for challenging idiosyncrasies.

Her legs and lungs are exceptional, and Hard Not to Love has emerged as one of the top females in California. Saturday at Santa Anita, she is the 6-5 program favorite in the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes.

Five fillies and mares were entered in the seven-furlong race, including likely second choice Mother Mother, likely pacesetter Lady Ninja, and longshots Zusha and Road Rager. Hard Not to Love will be tough to beat, if she makes it to the gate. It is not a certainty.

“If something sets her off, she freezes,” trainer John Shirreffs acknowledged. “And once she stops, it’s pretty hard to get her going again.”

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Something set off Hard Not to Love on Dec. 28 in the post parade of the Grade 1 La Brea. Before she warmed up, she stopped next to the inner rail in front of the clubhouse section. For at least three minutes, Hard Not to Love refused.

“It’s anxiety,” jockey Mike Smith said afterward. “She’s just different. You have to turn her different ways. She is just funny. Then all of a sudden you feel her start to relax, and you’ve got to trust her, and then she’ll go.”

It was not the first time.

“She’s done that since she was a yearling,” Shirreffs said. “She’s unpredictable. She does that randomly, everywhere.”

In the La Brea post parade, Hard Not to Love finally relaxed, made it to the gate, broke last, then swept to a 2 1/4-length victory.

That was seven weeks ago, and while Shirreffs cannot be certain to her frame of mind, he is confident in the filly’s physical condition.

“She’s done very well,” he said. “She came out of that race very well. It wasn’t any big deal to her.”

Hard Not to Love benefitted from a fast pace, winning the La Brea with a 102 Beyer; the fractions will be softer in the Santa Monica. No big deal for Hard Not to Love, who won three other races from a forward position.

Plans call for Hard Not to Love to stretch out next month in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile.

Mother Mother finished more than three lengths behind Hard Not to Love in the La Brea, but the third-place finish by Mother Mother was super considering she pressed a blazing 44.41-second half-mile.

Trainer Bob Baffert removed blinkers, wheeled her back 15 days later, and she scored a facile victory in a minor stakes race. Mother Mother has worked fast since and figures for a perfect trip Saturday positioned second behind the speed.