Harvey's Lil Goil Victorious in Beaugay Return
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Susie Raisher
Harvey's Lil Goil wins the Beaugay Stakes at Belmont Park
As well as Harvey's Lil Goil has fared on dirt, she found another gear last fall when trainer Bill Mott focused her on turf racing.
After finishing third to Swiss Skydiver in the Alabama Stakes (G1), Mott moved her back to turf for the Exacta Systems Dueling Grounds Oaks and she lost by a neck while finishing second to Micheline . After that, she turned the tables on Micheline to take the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes Presented by Dixiana (G1T) at Keeneland.
Then, in the toughest test of her career, she faced some of the world's best female turfers and finished third in the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T), only a neck and a head behind the victorious Audarya and Rushing Fall .
So, when the Estate of Harvey Clarke and Paul Braverman's daughter of American Pharoah started her 4-year-old campaign May 8 off a six-month break, it was quite logical that Mott targeted the $150,000 Beaugay Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park for her comeback and Harvey's Lil Goil responded with another solid and victorious effort.
"She's been consistently working quite well," Mott said. "You see some maturity (in her as a 4-year-old) and that's what you would expect."
After rallying from eighth to narrowly miss in the Breeders' Cup, Harvey's Lil Goil turned in a more typical performance in the slow-paced 1 1/16-mile Beaugay as the 6-5 favorite ($4.30) chased the pacesetting Platinum Paynter from second before forging to the lead in the stretch and holding off a late bid by Peter Brant's Lemista to score by a half-length.
"When she felt those horses coming from behind her, she held them safe. It looked like she still had something in the tank," Mott said.
It's that versatility—turf or dirt; show speed or close from the rear—that adds to Mott's enjoyment in training the daughter of the Tapit mare Gloria S bred by Harvey Clarke.
"That's what makes her nice to be around. She's not locked into one running style or one surface," the Hall of Fame trainer said.
The third foal from Gloria S to race and win, she is the first stakes winner for her dam, whose most recent offspring are Archie the Giza, a 2-year-old Cairo Prince colt, and a yearling Cairo Prince filly. Gloria S was bred to Twirling Candy for 2021.
Timed in 1:43.44 over good turf under Junior Alvarado, Harvey's Lil Goil notched her fifth win in 10 starts and pushed her earnings to $824,029.
"It's fantastic. It was a long layoff, but she looks great and has matured a lot. It's exciting," said co-owner Scott Clarke.
Lemista, a Raven's Pass group 2-winning 4-year-old making her United States debut for trainer Chad Brown, was a game second in rallying from fifth in the field of six behind lethargic fractions of :50.93 and 1:15.28.
"The pace was too slow. She's a nice filly. I think she'll move forward off of this," said jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.
Just In Time Racing's Platinum Paynter, a Paynter mare trained by Juan Vazquez, wound up third, three lengths behind Lemista.
Mott said Belmont's $750,000 New York Stakes (G2T) June 4 at 1 1/4 miles is likely the next objective for Harvey's Lil Goil.