Mott ships Harvey's Lil Goil from Florida for Busanda Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Bill Mott did not immediately circle Sunday’s Busanda Stakes on the calendar for Harvey’s Lil Goil after she won a one-mile maiden race by six lengths at Aqueduct on Dec. 12. Instead, Mott almost immediately shipped the daughter of American Pharoah to his winter headquarters of Payson Park in Florida.

The more he thought about it, however, Sunday’s Busanda makes perfect sense for Harvey’s Lil Goil, who just might be the horse to beat in the 1 1/8-mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Aqueduct.

“It takes me a while to figure things out,” Mott said. “I hope I have it figured out. If she could win a black-type race, it would certainly enhance her value.”

Since progeny of American Pharoah had enjoyed uncanny success on turf last year, Mott debuted Harvey’s Lil Goil on the turf. She finished fourth, beaten 9 1/4 lengths in a 1 1/16-mile turf race here on Nov. 9. Before heading to Florida, Mott put Harvey’s Lil Goil on the dirt and she responded with a pretty professional victory, sitting behind a trio of leaders before tipping out in the stretch and easing away under Junior Alvarado. Persisto, second by 4 1/2 lengths to Harvey’s Lil Goil, came back to win her maiden next out and is also back in this spot.

“She ran okay on both surfaces,” Mott said. “Visually, she looked really good on the dirt.”

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Mott also believes the 1 1/8 miles of the Busanda could be a plus for Harvey’s Lil Goil.

“The way she ran, it looks like it should be to our benefit,” Mott said.

John Servis feels the same way about the distance for his Busanda entrant Fiftyshays Ofgreen. A daughter of Bernardini, Fiftyshays Ofgreen has not run since beating Persisto in an Oct. 13 maiden race going a mile and 70 yards at Monmouth Park.

She was scratched from the Demoiselle here on Dec. 7 due to a temperature. Servis then had her slated for the Silverbulletday Stakes at Fair Grounds on Jan. 18 but could not get proper transportation. Servis wound up shipping the filly from Florida to Parx where she worked one mile in a modest 1:43 on Jan. 22 in preparation for this. Kendrick Carmouche was aboard for that work and will ride her on Sunday.

“I think the mile and an eighth is what she’s looking for,” Servis said. “It’s a long layoff, but if she’s tight enough I don’t think it’ll be a problem.”

Water White won a one-mile maiden race with blinkers on here Nov. 15. Trainer Rudy Rodriguez didn’t like Water White in blinkers so he took them off for the Demoiselle and she ran fifth. Rodriguez believes Water White is better when able to make one run and will instruct Jorge Vargas Jr. to do just that on Saturday.

“If you can wait to the right moment, I think she can be very dangerous,” Rodriguez said.

Ankle Monitor, Quality Heat, Persisto, and Truth Hurts complete the field. The top four finishers of the Busanda earn qualifying points (10-4-2-1) to the May 1 Kentucky Oaks.

The Busanda goes as race 7 on an eight-race card that begins at 1:20 p.m.