Journalists Wandering Eyes Posted December 28, 2019 Journalists Share Posted December 28, 2019 Hard Not To Love (f, 3, Hard Spun–Loving Vindication, by Vindication) overtook heavily favored Bellafina (Quality Road) in deep stretch to win the GI La Brea S. by 1 1/2 lengths at Santa Anita Saturday. Sent off at 11-1, the bay filly dropped back to last as Bellafina was pressed by Mother Mother (Pioneerof the Nile) through fractions of :21.70 and :44.41. Bellafina looked to have put Mother Mother away with a furlong to run, but Hard Not to Love was uncorking a powerful run down the center of the track to sweep past the favorite and on to her first graded tally. She completed the seven furlongs in 1:22.17. The win gave jockey Mike Smith his 216th Grade I victory, tying Jerry Bailey’s record. Hard Not to Love, a half-sister to Canadian champion Wonder Gadot (Medaglia d’Oro), was tabbed a ‘TDN Rising Star’ following her three-length debut score at Santa Anita in February. She added an Apr. 13 allowance tally, but went to the sidelines following a third-place effort in the May 4 Angel Flight S. She returned with a 3/4-length optional-claimer win at Santa Anita Oct. 25. Hard Not to Love was a $400,000 KEESEP yearling. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-1. O-Mercedes Stables LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds, Scott Dilworth, Dorothy and David Ingordo. B-Anderson Farms Ont Inc (Ont-C). T-John Shirreffs. The post A Love-ly Finish in the La Brea appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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