Shirreffs puzzled by Hard Not to Love's lackluster performance

The last-place finish by Hard Not to Love in Sunday’s Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes for fillies and mares at Del Mar left trainer John Shirreffs puzzled and unlikely to make race plans for the autumn until his stable returns to Santa Anita in September.

“She’s got me scratching my head right now,” Shirreffs said Wednesday. “I was very surprised. I thought she’d run a good race.”

Hard Not to Love, the winner of two graded stakes for female sprinters at Santa Anita last winter, ran at the back of a field of six throughout the Clement Hirsch Stakes at 1 1/16 miles under Mike Smith. She was beaten 13 1/4 lengths by Fighting Mad.

“Mike said she was not handling [the track] and lugging in a little bit,” Shirreffs said. “I remember last year we didn’t run here because she didn’t handle the track very well.”

:: DRF's Del Mar headquarters – Stakes schedule, previews, recaps, past performances, and more

Options for the autumn at Santa Anita include the Zenyatta Stakes at 1 1/16 miles and the L.A. Woman Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs.

“I can’t make a good decision until I get her on a different track,” Shirreffs said.

Had Not to Love, who lost an eye in a paddock accident before her career began, has been uncooperative at times during warm-ups. She was better behaved on Sunday than occasions earlier in the year.

“She was very good,” Shirreffs said. “She’s matured in so many ways and now we have to put it together. She’s only 4. It’s a good chance she has a lot of racing ahead of her.”