West Point Thoroughbreds just retired a Hard Spun filly who scaled the heights of California racing. That was Hard Not to Love, a Grade 1 winner who truly lived up to her name and is now pregnant to Curlin, one of the leading sires in America.

At OBS April, a bay Hard Spun filly impressed the West Point buying team, including David Ingordo, the same bloodstock adviser who recommended the purchase of Hard Not to Love. Once the hammer fell in the sales pavilion, the next decision was an easy one: to race her in Southern California, just like Hard Not to Love.

John Sadler will train the filly and he has a nice history with Hard Spun himself, having trained the veteran sire's millionaire and Grade 1 winner Hard Aces. Hard Spuns have done particularly well in California: Santa Anita is also where Hard Spun's son Spun to Run captured the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, and his daughter Hard Not to Like scored in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes.

"I saw her at OBS and really liked her," Sadler said. "We're going to get her right out to Santa Anita."

The new filly is a half sister to How Unusual, who won the Grade 3 Red Carpet Handicap at Del Mar a few years back.