Harvard Avenue has a real nose for victory
No matter how the photo finish turned out in the $110,900 El Conejo Handicap, the result was going to be fine with Doug O’Neill.
The trainer had both of the horses who finished a nose apart Monday in the first graded stakes of the year at Santa Anita.
The winner was 5-1 shot Harvard Avenue, who rallied from last place under jockey Garrett Gomez to edge fellow 6-year-old Areyoutalkintome, who was looking for his second victory in three years in the El Conejo. The final time for the 5 1/2 furlongs was 1:02.68.
Owned by breeder Ron Crockett, Harvard Avenue, a gelded son of You And I, won for the second time in three races since returning from a lengthy layoff, taking full advantage of a contested early pace.
“He kept himself a little bit more in the race today than normal,” Gomez said. “When he came off the turn, I really couldn’t ask for a horse to be running any better than he was today. I thought I won it, but I thought I was going to win by a half-length the way he was rolling.”
The victory was especially welcome for O’Neill, who had started slowly at the Santa Anita winter-spring meet after winning consecutive training titles in Arcadia. He was one for 25 before the El Conejo.
Proud Tower Too, the 2-1 favorite, finished third, one length behind Areyoutalkintome, in his first start since winning the $2-million Dubai Golden Shaheen on March 25 in the United Arab Emirates. The two-time Grade I winner weakened slightly after being pestered early by Roi Charmant, O’Neill’s other entrant, who wound up sixth in the field of nine.
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Gomez, the leading rider in the country in 2006 in terms of earnings, picked up where he left off as he followed his El Conejo victory with another come-from-behind score aboard favored Society Hostess in the $116,100 Monrovia Handicap.
Winning for the eighth time in 16 starts, the 5-year-old Seeking The Gold mare finished fastest of all on the far outside to win the Grade III going away.
Owned by breeder Moyglare Stud Farm Ltd. and trained by Christophe Clement, Society Hostess covered the about 6 1/2 furlongs on turf in 1:12.85. Clinet finished second, and Kitty Hawk was third.
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Oprah Winney, an 11-1 shot, led throughout to win the $70,590 Interborough Handicap over a sloppy surface at Aqueduct.
Mike Smith rode the 4-year-old Royal Academy to her fourth win in nine starts for a partnership and trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. She completed the six furlongs in 1:09.51 in beating Smart And Fancy and five others.
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Favorites prevailed in both of the turf stakes for newly turned 3-year-olds on the penultimate day of the season at Calder.
Christmas Kid, the 5-2 choice, won the $100,000 Tropical Park Oaks under jockey Kent Desormeaux for her second win in four starts. Owned by breeder Edward Evans and trained by Jimmy Jerkens, the Lemon Drop Kid filly ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.19.
Two races later, Soldier’s Dancer, the 3-2 favorite, won the $100,000 Tropical Park Derby under jockey Cornelio Velasquez. Owned by Herman Heinlein and trained by David Vivian, the son of Lost Solider won for the fourth time in nine starts and ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.95.
Calder will conclude today, and Gulfstream Park will begin its winter-spring meet on Wednesday.
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