Harvey’s Lil Goil Wins G3 Regret Stakes

Harvey’s Lil Goil (3f American Pharoah x Gloria S., by Tapit) became the third Grade III winner in a week for American Pharoah and fifth stakes horse in 10 days with her win in the Grade III Regret Stakes at Churchill Downs on Saturday.

Always shadowing the leader through the 1 1/8 mile turf stakes, Harvey’s Lil Goil inched up on the leader in the far turn and was in command with two furlongs left to run. The filly had to fend off another charge from the leader before shaking that one off just to enter another duel as Crystal Cliffs ran up on the rail.

Harvey’s Lil Goil had to dig deep in the final half furlong as Crystal Cliffs inched up on her with Harvey’s Lil Goil’s fighting back with every step to keep her lead. In the end, American Pharoah’s gray daughter came out the winner by a head to record her second stakes victory in her last three starts.

Trained by Bill Mott for the Estate of Harvey A. Clarke and Paul Braverman, Harvey’s Lil Goil also won the Busanda Stakes on dirt at Aqueduct in February.

“I thought we were in a little bit of trouble when Johnny (Velazquez) dove to the rail,” said Mott’s assistant Kenny McCarthy. “However, when she got to her late in the stretch, she was able to fight back. She’s a very classy filly and now sports multiple stakes wins on both the dirt and the turf.”

Bred by Harvey A. Clarke, Harvey’s Lil Goil is one of three winners out of the Tapit mare Gloria S. That mare is a half-sister to Champion 3-Year-Old Colt and Grade I Kentucky Derby winner I’ll Have Another and Grade III winner Golden Award.

The filly also hails from the extended family of fellow Coolmore America resident and Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Mendelssohn and four-time champion Beholder.

Triple Crown winner American Pharaoh has proven to be just as successful in his second career. Last year’s Champion Freshman Sire, he has five graded stakes winners, seven stakes winners and 19 stakes horses overall, with two out of Tapit mares.