Hard Not to Love

A trainer built equal parts brilliant and idiosyncratic, John Shirreffs passed away quietly in his sleep overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning. He was 80 years old. He leaves behind the kind of record unmatched by all but a select few. At the summit of Shirreffs's mammoth achievements was of course Zenyatta--elegant and imperious, who between 2007 and 2010 achieved the near impossible: 19 straight wins and 13 Grade I victories including back-to-back Breeders' Cup crowns, one of them a Classic. Zenyatta was just denied an exquisite send-off in the Breeders'...

Right to Party (Constitution), third beaten 9 lengths going six furlongs in his debut Dec. 13, went two better Saturday to break his maiden second time out. Relegated to the back after a bumpy beginning, the 5-2 second choice trailed the field up the long backstretch run in his first stretch out to the mile distance. Saving ground around the far turn and picking up momentum and positions, Right to Party hit the top of the lane and tipped out to close past late leader Dr. Sinatra (Speightstown), rallying to...

In this continuing series, we examine the past winners of significant filly/mare races by the lasting influence they've had on the breed. Up today is the GI Coaching Club American Oaks, a significant 3-year old filly event on the Saratoga calendar. The CCA Oaks is one of the revered traditions in the sophomore filly ranks. Like so many other races that have a century's worth of history, it has changed both distances and venues multiple times. The race began at nine furlongs in 1917 and was shortened to that distance...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 4th-WO, $123K, Msw, 3yo, f, 7f (AWT), 2:49 p.m. ET Godolphin and trainer Michael Stidham unveil 3-year-old filly AIOLI, a daughter of Darley's Medaglia d'Oro. She is out of a half-sister to Loving Vindication (Vindication), who has produced Canadian Horse of the Year Wonder Gadot (Medaglia d'Oro) and GISW Hard Not to Love (Hard Spun). Aioli is a half-sister to GISW Secret Spice (Discreet Cat), who sold at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed Sale for $1.4 million to Japan's Katsumi Yoshida. Aioli most recently worked...

Hard Not to Love (Hard Spun--Loving Vindication, by Vindication), victorious in the 2019 GI La Brea S. at Santa Anita, was the latest mare to shine at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale Tuesday, selling to a partnership consisting of Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway for $3.2 million. The Ontario-bred, cataloged as hip 184, was consigned to the sale by Lane's End and is a half-sister to Canadian Horse of the Year Wonder Gadot (Medaglia d'Oro) and SW & GSP Solemn Tribute (Medaglia d'Oro). Her second dam is GSW/GISP Chimichurri...

Whatever Hard Not to Love (Hard Spun - Loving Vindication, by Vindication) may have lost with the absence of one eye, she gained with the loyal following that developed over her career as she won the hearts of racing fans and earned the respect of the racing community. "She was special because she dealt with a problem that I knew she was thinking about and I knew was on her mind, but she had the class and the style and the substance to fight through the issue," said Terry Finley,...

Fair Maiden (Street Boss), last seen scoring a breakthrough win in the GI La Brea S. Dec. 26, makes her seasonal bow Saturday in the GII Santa Monica S. in Arcadia. Running on synthetic and turf during her five-race juvenile campaign, including a black-type score at Woodbine, the Godolphin homebred kicked off 2020 with a convincing optional claimer score in her first try on dirt at Churchill in September. Fourth to the re-opposing Merneith (American Pharoah) next out in Keeneland's Qatar Fort Springs S. Nov. 7, the chestnut rallied four...

Grade I winner Fighting Mad (New Year's Day) looks to return to winning ways as she kicks off her 5-year-old season Saturday in the GIII La Canada S. at Santa Anita. Starting off last term with a third in the six-panel GIII Desert Stormer S. in May, the homebred scored a decisive victory over the re-opposing Hard Not to Love (Hard Spun) when stretched out to two turns in the GII Santa Maria S. just two weeks later. Capturing the GI Clement L. Hirsch S. next out at Del Mar...

The 3-year-old pacing gelding Captain Barbossa didn't look that good on paper in Thursday's Little Brown Jug, one of harness racing's most prestigious races. He was 0 for 11 on the year and 3 for 25 lifetime and was facing some of the best horses in his division. Even co-owner David Anderson conceded that victory seemed unlikely. But Captain Barbossa came through, finishing second in the first heat and then winning the final by 1 1/2 lengths. He may not have been the best horse in the race, but he...

Fighting Mad (New Year's Day) looks to score her third straight victory and stamp her ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff in Sunday's GII Zenyatta S. at Santa Anita. Placed on the shelf after winning the GIII Torrey Pines S. in August of 2019, the West homebred crossed the line third, but was disqualified and placed fourth when making her return in the GIII Desert Stormer S. in May. A decisive winner of the GII Santa Maria S. two weeks later, the bay wired the GI Clement L. Hirsch...

A highly anticipated rematch of the GI Beholder Mile S. is on tap in Sunday's GII Santa Maria S. at Santa Anita. Ce Ce (Elusive Quality), an impressive 3 1/4-length breakthrough winner over 'TDN Rising Star' Hard Not to Love (Hard Spun) in that affair Mar. 14, just got up in time by a head after a very wide trip in a loaded renewal of Oaklawn's GI Apple Blossom H. last time Apr. 18. Also previously under consideration for Belmont's GI Ogden Phipps S. June 13, Ce Ce looks for...

Budding distaff division star Hard Not to Love (Hard Spun), a winner of three straight and five of six in her young career, will try two turns for the first time as a probable heavy favorite in Saturday's GI Beholder Mile S. at Santa Anita. Starting two-for-two here last year, the $400,000 Keeneland September grad suffered her only defeat when third in the Angels Flight S. May 4. Returning off the bench to capture a local allowance Oct. 25, the 'TDN Rising Star' closed from last to post an 11-1...