Mott eyeing Gazelle for Harvey's Lil Goil

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After dominating Sunday’s Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct, Harvey’s Lil Goil was set to return to trainer Bill Mott’s Florida base at Payson Park this week while he contemplates how best to get the 3-year-old filly to the Kentucky Oaks.

Though she didn’t beat much in the Busanda, Harvey’s Lil Goil was visually impressive winning her second consecutive dirt race at Aqueduct. She got away slowly and had a wide trip under Junior Alvarado, but still dominated the Busanda by 7 1/2 lengths. Harvey’s Lil Goil was taken in hand late by Alvarado while covering 1 1/8 miles in 1:54.49 over a slow, deep main track. She was assigned an 82 Beyer Speed Figure for the performance.

Harvey’s Lil Goil, a daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, is owned by Paul Braverman and the Estate of Harvey Clarke, who bred the filly.

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“I thought her maiden was impressive and I thought she came back and looked good again,” Mott said Monday by phone from Florida. “Obviously the best ones haven’t met up yet. Everybody that won these stakes – the Forward Gal, the Martha Washington, the Busanda – you find out more about them when they all meet up.”

The goal is for all the good ones to meet up in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 1. There are myriad ways to get there and the Aqueduct path would seem logical for Harvey’s Lil Goil, who is 2 for 2 over Aqueduct’s main track. While Mott mentioned the Grade 2, $300,000 Gazelle at 1 1/8 miles here on April 4 as a logical spot, he’s not sure if he will wait nine weeks to run her back. He isn’t enamored with the idea of cutting her back to a one-turn mile in the $250,000 Busher Invitational here on March 7.

“I could see her coming back for the Gazelle whether I run in between or not,” Mott said. “It’s a long year, I don’t want to wear her out. You need one race, maybe two, if we’re going to the Oaks. I guess I need to see how she is.”

One potential spot for Harvey’s Lil Goil prior to the Gazelle could be the Grade 3, $300,000 Honeybee going 1 1/16 miles on March 7 at Oaklawn. The Honeybee is a prep for the Grade 3, $600,000 Fantasy at Oaklawn on April 10.

Mott said he wants the filly with him in Florida to avoid potential bad weather in New York, though it has been a fairly mild winter thus far.

“I don’t want to have to worry about frozen racetracks, frozen horse paths, jogging in the barn,” he said.

Mott also has another 3-year-old filly on the Oaks trail in Lake Avenue, the Grade 2 Demoiselle winner. On Monday, Lake Avenue had her second work back since being given a freshening. Mott said “it won’t take her long to get ready” though he hasn’t selected a race for her return.

The Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland on April 4 could be one race for Lake Avenue before the Oaks.

“She’s got some speed, that type of racetrack might suit her,” Mott said.