Lovely Maria is a bay filly with a white blaze bred in Kentucky by Olin B Gentry & Thomas B Gaines.
She is from the first crop of foals sired by Majesticperfection, a lightly raced sprinter who recorded his biggest win in the Alfred G Vanderbilt Handicap.
Lovely Maria was sent into training with J. Larry Jones, who had previously had great success with fillies and mares including Eight Belles, Proud Spell and Havre de Grace.
On her final start of the year the filly was moved up in class and distance for the Trapeze Stakes over one mile at Remington Park in December.
On her three-year-old debut Lovely Maria won a minor race at Fair Grounds on January 26, beating Shook Up by 2+1⁄2 lengths.