Hard Not to Love

Hard Not to Love's first race was on February 16th, 2019, at Santa Anita, where she came in first in a Maiden Special Weight Race. The horse then got her second straight win two months later in an April 13, 2019 Allowance Optional Claiming race.[1]

On May 4th, 2019, she competed in the listed $75,000 Angels Flight Stakes. She was seen as the second favorite at 9:5 odds behind the 8:5 horse, Sneaking Out. [2] She ended up finishing in 2nd after the original winner, Sneaking Out was disqualified for bumping My Miss Rose.[3]

She picked up another win in an October 25, 2019 Allowance Optional Claiming race at Santa Anita Park, and then won her first stakes race - the Grade-1 La Brea Stakes. She came in as the 11:1 underdog an defeated the 3:5 favorite Bellafina by 2 1/4th lengths.[4] The win netted Hard Not to Love $301,404.

On February 15th, 2020, she started out her 2020 season with another stakes win. This time, she won the won Grade-2 2020 Santa Monica Stakes. She came in as the 3:5 favorite and delivered, giving her 5 wins in 6 starts. [5]

On March 14th, 2020, she competed in the Grade-1 Beholder Mile Stakes. She came in as the 3:5 favorite but was beaten by 3 1/4th lengths by Ce Ce.[6]

On May 31st, 2020, she competed in the Grade-2 Santa Maria Stakes. she came in as the 2:1 second favorite but was defeated, along with Ce Ce by 10:1 longshot Fighting Mad by 3 1/4th lengths.[7]