Harvey's Lil Goil Much the Best in Busanda
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Chelsea Durand
Harvey's Lil Goil wins the Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack
An awkward start didn't stop Harvey's Lil Goil from finishing strong in her impressive stakes debut Feb. 2. The 3-year-old American Pharoah filly drew away from five rivals in the $101,000 Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack and won geared down late by jockey Junior Alvarado.
"She was much the best. I was just the pilot," Alvarado said. "At the half-mile (mark), she switched gears and I let her run along there. She took over and didn't do much."
Harvey's Lil Goil, who had been working at Payson Park Training Center since January, was back in familiar hands for the Busanda with trainer Bill Mott's assistant Leanna Willaford.
"She ran really well and to expectations, or possibly even better. She came back up to us from Florida last week and has been here for a few days. She had been here prior from July until when she broke her maiden (Dec. 12), so we know her well," Willaford said. "She looks really about the same since she's left and is progressing well, so it's exciting."
Owned by the Estate of Harvey A. Clarke and Paul Braverman, Harvey's Lil Goil was bet down to the 3-4 favorite off a six-length maiden win going a mile. She stretched out an extra furlong for the Busanda, in which she hopped and tossed her head at the start and was away last. Harvey's Lil Goil ended up four wide and moved into fifth as Fiftyshays Ofgreen opened with a leisurely quarter-mile in :25.30. The pace remained the same through a :50.59 half-mile, at which point Harvey's Lil Goil poked her head into fourth.
Harvey's Lil Goil improved under her own power and took command at the three-eighths pole, running six furlongs in 1:14.70. She swung four wide into the stretch and took off from the field, then shied in slightly from an off-sided stick. Alvarado corrected his mount and still had more than enough room to wrap up Harvey's Lil Goil. The gray or roan filly was 7 1/2 lengths clear as she completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:54.49 on a fast track.
"I would have liked to be second early on. I would have caught the corner the first turn," Alvarado said. "She outclassed the (field). We've always been pretty high on her, and she showed up. She's more advanced physically than mentally, but eventually she'll catch up with that and hopefully keep moving forward."
Harvey's Lil Goil collected 10 points toward a spot in the May 1 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1). Water White picked up four points, Fiftyshays Ofgreen two points, and Persisto one point for finishing second through fourth, respectively. Ankle Monitor and Truth Hurts completed the order of finish.
With two wins in three starts, Harvey's Lil Goil has earnings of $96,600. In her first start Nov. 9, she rallied from 10th to finish fourth in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight on Aqueduct's turf course.
Bred in Kentucky by Clarke, Harvey's Lil Goil is out of the unraced Tapit mare Gloria S, a half sister to Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) and Preakness (G1) winner I'll Have Another and multiple grade 3 winner Golden Award. Gloria S is also the dam of a yearling colt by Cairo Prince and was reported bred back to that same stallion.