There Goes Harvard put his versatility on display Feb. 8, dashing to a gate-to-wire score in the $100,000 San Marcos Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park.
The San Marcos victory was achieved in textbook fashion under jockey Frankie Dettori, who sent the big chestnut to the front and played a grand ole game of catch me if you can with the field of seven older horses going 1 1/4 miles on the turf.
“When I looked at the form, I saw there wasn’t particularly a lot of speed,” Dettori said. “I took the chance to go forward. I got a nice, easy lead. On the backstretch, I took him off the rail a little bit and he was playing with his ears. It was great. From the three-eighths pole I wound him up. When I pressed the button, I looked around and was free in front. That was it. All over.”
There Goes Harvard was running for the first time since fading to 10th in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T) Nov. 2 at Del Mar. That 1 1/2-mile race was a bit too far, according to trainer Michael McCarthy, but the 1 1/4 miles proved just right.
Establishing fractions of :23.96, :48.08, and 1:12.72, There Goes Harvard turned for home with plenty left in the tank, overwhelming his rivals with a fresh burst of speed in the drive for the wire. When heavily favored Truly Quality didn’t make his late run, it was home free for There Goes Harvard, who hit the wire in front by 3 1/4 lengths in a final time of 1:59.87.
“He was a little bit fresh today, obviously not having run since the Breeders’ Cup,” McCarthy said. “He bounced out of the gate and he certainly carved out a fairly decent half mile fraction, three-quarters in 1:12 and change. It seemed like the horse was really enjoying himself today.”
Philip D’Amato trainee Easter rallied for second over There Goes Harvard’s stablemate and 41-1 shot Lord Bullingdon .
Truly Quality, who had been riding a three-race win streak into the San Marcos, finished sixth.
There Goes Harvard ($11.20), a 7-year-old son of Will Take Charge owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber, took his first win photo since an upset victory in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) in May of 2022.
“He is new to us,” said Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. “We bought him as a ripe old 6-year-old before the (2024) Pacific Classic. Thanks to the Cannon family for selling him to Eclipse and Gary Barber on Michael’s recommendation. He felt like there was plenty of juice in the lemon, a testament to Michael’s horsemanship.”
