Late entry There Goes Harvard wins Hollywood Gold Cup

Arcadia, Calif.

The late decision by trainer Michael McCarthy to enter There Goes Harvard in the Hollywood Gold Cup – plus a rare trip west by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. – resulted in victory in the $400,000 Grade 1 race at Santa Anita on Memorial Day.

With a lively pace up front, Ortiz and There Goes Harvard saved ground throughout before uncorking a late burst to rundown front-runner Defunded and score by a length at 8-1.

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“It was a real late decision (to enter), but it’s a short field, and the horse was doing well,” McCarthy said. “It was definitely worth taking a shot.”

This was the first Hollywood Gold Cup win for both McCarthy and New York-based Ortiz, a three-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey. For McCarthy, the Gold Cup tally came in his third try. In 2018, he finished third with favorite City of Light. Then last year, Rushie finished fourth.

“It’s great,” McCarthy said. “I’ve tried it twice before. City of Light couldn’t get the job done as the favorite. But to win a race like this, it’s just really special. ... These are the types of races you get up for in the morning.”

Following There Goes Harvard and Defunded across the wire were even-money favorite Royal Ship, who finished 3 1/4 lengths adrift, and Stilleto Boy. Long shot Spielberg was last.

About a half-hour after the Hollywood Gold Cup, Ortiz added a fourth win on the program when riding Count Again to victory in the Shoemaker Mile (G1), a “win and you’re in” for the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

“All the fans here, it reminds me of home. I enjoy it,” Ortiz said after the Gold Cup.

Defunded, a former Bob Baffert trainee who was coming off an allowance win May 8 following nine-month layoff, showed the way in the 1 1/4-mile Gold Cup under Abel Cedillo. They carved fractions of 22.76, 46.13, 1:10.99 and 1:35.85 for the opening mile.

Meanwhile, a tracking There Goes Harvard was moved out to the two path on the clubhouse turn for clear running room. Given his cue by Ortiz, There Goes Harvard kicked into gear and surged past Defunded in the final furlong to win with a final time of 2:02.66 on the fast main track.

“I had a perfect trip,” Ortiz said. “There Goes Harvard was fighting a little bit with me going into the first turn. They went a little fast. I tried to let him relax, settle a little bit, and he did come back to me on the backside. That was the key. After that I was just biding my time and kicked him out down the stretch, and he responded really well.”

There Goes Harvard returned $19.60 as the second-longest shot on the board. The son of Will Take Charge out of the Fusaichi Pegasus mare Soul Crusader has won three straight for owner-breeder Cannon Thoroughbreds, including on turf last time out.

McCarthy indicated there is likely much more ahead for There Goes Harvard.

“Pedigree says the older he gets the better he should get,” he said. “It should be fun to see what happens here the latter part of the year.”

There Goes Harvard’s only previous stakes try was a runner-up finish in last summer Ellis Park Derby.