Breeders' Cup Turf: There Goes Harvard expected to draw into field

ARCADIA, Calif. – There Goes Harvard was last of three on an also-eligible list for the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 2 when pre-entries were announced on Wednesday.

By Saturday, trainer Michael McCarthy was making plans to start There Goes Harvard in the $5 million race at 1 1/2 miles.

There Goes Harvard is expected to gain a berth in the race following the absences of Continuous and Illinois from the Breeders’ Cup, and a likely decision to start Content in the BC Filly and Mare Turf and Next in the BC Classic the same day.

There were 17 pre-entries for the BC Turf, with the race limited to 14 starters. Next, Cabo Spirit, and There Goes Harvard were listed in that order on the also-eligible list.

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The BC Turf is now likely to have 13 runners.

There Goes Harvard, a 6-year-old horse by Will Take Charge, has won 4 of 19 starts and earned $654,590. He is winless in four starts this year on turf and dirt, finishing fifth of eight in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at 1 1/4 miles on dirt at Del Mar on Aug. 31 and second by a length to Cabo Spirit in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita on Sept. 28 in his last two starts.

Cabo Spirit set a slow pace and led throughout the John Henry Turf Championship. There Goes Harvard closed from fourth to be closest to the front at the finish.

On Saturday at Santa Anita, There Goes Harvard worked a half-mile in 48.60 seconds, an exercise McCarthy described as “fantastic.”

“It was textbook for him,” McCarthy said.

There Goes Harvard, who races for the partnership of Eclipse Thoroughbred and Gary Barber, will race at 1 1/2 miles for the first time in the BC Turf.

“He’s definitely under the radar,” McCarthy said. “He doesn’t have distance limitations.”

The expected field is led by Rebel’s Romance, who won the BC Turf at Keeneland in 2022, the improving European 3-year-old Jayarebe, and Far Bridge, the winner of two Grade 1 races at Saratoga and Aqueduct in his last two starts for trainer Christophe Clement.

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