Hard Not To Like smashing in G1 Gamely Stakes

Hard Spun mare closes fast to impressive second G1 win

Hard Spun's six-year-old daughter Hard Not To Like had her eye on the prize in the G1 Gamely Stakes May 25, closing like a rocket in the turf race at Santa Anita Park.

In the one-and-one-eighth-mile turf race Hard Not To Like was patiently traveling mid-pack along the inside. Into the stretch the six-year-old mare put in her bid, and charged along the inside to take the win in dramatic fashion.

Bred by Garland E. Williamson, it was the second G1 win for the daughter of Hard Spun, who won the G1 Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland as a five-year-old. The mare has posted three Graded Stakes wins lifetime, and is out of multiple Stakes winner Like A Gem, herself a half-sister to G3-placed Hard Spun filly Ruby Lips, as well as Stakes winners Win And Reign and Graded-placed Cool Gator.

The sire of six G1 winners in total, Hard Spun's top runners include G1 Arlington Million winner Hardest Core, G1 Wood Memorial winner Wicked Strong, and Eclipse Champion Questing.

Hard Spun stands for $35,000 live foal, stands and nurses.