Hard Not to Love rallies from last to score in Santa Monica

ARCADIA, Calif. – Everything went to perfection for Hard Not to Love before and during Saturday’s Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita.

Hard Not to Love was reluctant to warm-up before her win in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on Dec. 28. Saturday, Hard Not to Love was not part of the post parade. She was walked about a quarter-mile around the clubhouse turn before she was jogged onto the backstretch under jockey Mike Smith and then to the gate.

All of that occurred without interruption.

“We didn’t want to take any chances of her getting upset,” trainer John Shirreffs said.

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In the $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes at seven furlongs, Hard Not to Love ($3.20) closed from last in a field of five with a wide rally to win by a convincing 3 1/2 lengths. Hard Not to Love trailed early leader Lady Ninja by about 1 1/2 lengths on the backstretch before moving closer to the front on the turn.

“She was more eager than she had been with me in the past,” Smith said. “She used to be a run-off. I got her to turn off and she did just enough.

“She got into that rhythm and I thought, 'Oh, man. She will run now.' And she did.”

Smith hand-rode Hard Not to Love to the finish, in 1:22.19. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 100.

Mother Mother, a 3-2 chance who was third to Hard Not to Love in the La Brea and the winner of the minor Kalookan Queen Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs on Jan. 12, finished second, 1 1/2 lengths in front of Zusha.

“We had a good trip and she ran her race,” said Flavien Prat, who rode Mother Mother.

Lady Ninja and Road Rager completed the order of finish in the small field.

Smith was quick to praise Shirreffs and his team for their work with Hard Not to Love since the La Brea Stakes, and earlier in her career. Hard Not to Love does not have a left eye because of an accident before her racing career and can sometimes suffer bouts of anxiety.

“A lot of that is the work they put into her in the morning,” Smith said of Hard Not to Love’s calm demeanor on Saturday. “It used to take an hour to get her to the track.”

Hard Not to Love is a candidate for the Grade 1 Beholder Mile on March 14. Owned by a partnership that includes West Point Thoroughbreds and Mercedes Stable, Hard Not to Love has won 5 of 6 starts and earned $408,480.

By Hard Spun, Hard Not to Love was purchased for $400,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.