Hard Not to Love retired from racing

Grade 1 winner Hard Not to Love was retired this week after disappointing results in two graded stakes at Santa Anita this year.

Trainer John Shirreffs said Hard Not to Love was flown to Kentucky on Friday.

The decision was made in recent days after Hard Not to Love worked five furlongs in 1:02.40 on Tuesday at Santa Anita, a slower-than-expected clocking.

“She seemed like she wasn’t quite as good as she was before,” Shirreffs said. “She’d been in training a long time without a break. It seemed like it was time to stop.”

A 5-year-old mare by Hard Spun, Hard Not to Love won 5 of 12 starts and earned $593,480 in a career highlighted by wins in two seven-furlong stakes at Santa Anita – the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies in December 2019 and the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes against older fillies and mares in February 2020.

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Hard Not to Love lost her final six starts, a span that included a second in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile last March. In two starts this year, Hard Not to Love was third in the Grade 3 La Canada Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Jan. 9 and seventh of nine in the Santa Monica Stakes on Feb. 13.

A one-eyed mare, Hard Not to Love was difficult to handle at times for jockeys, particularly in post parades.

“The rider had to get along with her,” Shirreffs said.

Hard Not to Love, purchased for $400,000 as a yearling, raced for the partnership of West Point Thoroughbreds, Mercedes Stable, Scott Dilworth, Dottie and David Ingordo, and Steve Mooney.

Terry Finley of West Point Thoroughbreds said Hard Not to Love will likely be bred to Curlin and offered at auction in Kentucky in November.