Harvey's Lil Goil Switches Back to Turf, Wins Regret
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Photo: Coady Photography
Harvey's Lil Goil (outside) wins the Regret Stakes at Churchill Downs
Back on turf for the first time since her race debut, Harvey's Lil Goil was able to hold off the late surge of Crystal Cliffs to win the $100,000 Regret Stakes Presented by TwinSpires.com (G3T) June 27 at Churchill Downs.
Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott and ridden by Martin Garcia, the American Pharoah filly covered the 1 1/8 miles on a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in 1:47.70.
In the early stages of the race, 17-1 longshot Eve of War took command of the field of 13 sophomore fillies through opening fractions of :23.26 and :47.48. Harvey's Lil Goil tracked just off the pace of Eve of War on the outside of In Good Spirits. She took control of the lead at the head of the stretch following three-quarters of a mile in 1:11.80 but had to fend off the late charge of 6-5 favorite Crystal Cliffs. Just outside of the sixteenth-pole, Crystal Cliffs, under John Velazquez, dove to the inside rail past the tiring Eve of War but just missed getting to Harvey's Lil Goil by a head at the wire.
"I thought we were in a little bit of trouble when Johnny dove to the rail," Mott's assistant trainer Kenny McCarthy said. "However, when she got to her late in the stretch, she was able to fight back."
Pass the Plate, Dominga, Stunning Sky, Hendy Woods, Micheline, Eve of War, Wexx, Edgee Angel, Witez, and His Glory completed the order of finish.
Harvey's Lil Goil rewarded her backers with payouts of $24.20, $7.60, and $5.40.
The Mott trainee was fourth in her only other turf start, a Nov. 9 maiden special weight at Aqueduct Racetrack.She won next out on dirt before taking the Busanda Stakes by 7 1/2 lengths. With her victory in the Regret, Harvey's Lil Goil boosted her career earnings to $154,529. She sports an overall record of three wins from five starts for the Estate of Harvey A. Clarke and Paul Braverman.
Bred by Clarke in Kentucky, Harvey's Lil Goil is the third winner from three foals of racing age out of the Tapit mare Gloria S, who has since produced a yearling colt and Feb. 26 filly by Cairo Prince .