Harvey's Lil Goil holds off Lemista for Beaugay victory
ELMONT, N.Y. - Harvey’s Lil Goil ended 2020 as one of the top 3-year-old female turf horses in the country. On Saturday, she gave every indication she could join the upper echelon of the older female turf division in 2021.
In her first start since running third in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf last November, Harvey’s Lil Goil took over from pacesetting Platinum Paynter in midstretch and held off a late run from Lemista to win Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Beaugay Stakes by a half-length at Belmont Park.
It was three lengths back to Platinum Paynter, who held third by a nose over Nay Lady Nay. Civil Union finished fifth followed by Thankful.
Though a stakes winner on dirt and turf in 2020, Harvey’s Lil Goil certainly raised her game on turf, especially last fall when winning the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth at Keeneland and coming within a neck of Audarya in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.
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On Saturday, under Junior Alvarado, Harvey’s Lil Goil stalked the pedestrian pace of 26.00 seconds for the quarter, 50.93 for the half and 1:15.28 established by Platinum Paynter. Harvey’s Lil Goil confronted Platinum Paynter above the eighth pole, took over by the sixteenth-pole, and then held off the late run of Lemista.
“It was good, particularly at a distance that she’s effective at, but I don’t know that it’s her perfect distance,” winning trainer Bill Mott said.
Junior Alvarado said his filly was moving comfortably in the early stages of the race and he felt confident that he had the pacesetter measured.
“If I was going to be worried, it was going to be from someone from behind,” Alvarado said. “This was a nice race for her comeback.”
Harvey’s Lil Goil, a 4-year-old daughter of American Pharoah owned by Scott Clark and Paul Braverman, covered the 1 1/16 miles over good turf in 1:43.44 and returned $4.20 as the favorite.
Mott said he would point Harvey’s Lil Goil to the Grade 2, $750,000 New York Stakes at 1 1/4 miles here June 4.
Lemista, an Irish-bred 4-year-old daughter of Raven’s Pass, was making her first start in the U.S. and first for trainer Chad Brown. Though Lemista fell a half-length shy of the victory, Brown was pleased with the effort, which confirmed his belief watching her train over the winter that his filly will prefer longer distances in races like the Diana and Beverly D later this summer.
“I wanted to see a nice covered-up trip and a nice finish from her, something I can build off of,” Brown said. “We have high hopes for this filly.”