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Harvard Avenue explodes in deep stretch to take El Conejo Ron Crockett Inc.'s homebred HARVARD AVENUE (You and I) came from nowhere with a furious late rally under Garrett Gomez to take the $110,900 El Conejo H. (G3) over the fast main strip at Santa Anita on Monday. The Doug O'Neill trainee was last for the opening half-mile as Proud Tower Too (Proud Irish) and Roi Charmant (Evansville Slew) disputed the lead through rapid splits of :21 2/5 and :44 for the opening half-mile. As the group turned for home, Proud Tower Too, making his first start since a win in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1) in March, took command and reached five-eighths in :56 1/5, but was soon confronted by Areyoutalkintome (Smokester) who had all the momentum and appeared to be well on his way to victory. Then Harvard Avenue came charging down the outside part of the track and caught his stablemate right on the wire, getting 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:02 3/5. The winner was sent off at 5-1 and paid $13.60, $5.60 and $3.80, while keying the $1 exotics of $24.50 exacta, $94.40 trifecta and $1047.50 superfecta (3-8-4-9). Areyoutalkintome ran a winning race but had to settle for the runner-up spot a nose back, good for $4 and $2.80 as the 5-2 second choice. Proud Tower Too ran admirably late to retain third, worth $2.80 as the 2-1 choice. Brooker (Mr. Procrastinator) closed bravely between horses late to finish off the super at 40-1, and was followed by Red Warrior (Benchmark), Roi Charmant, Count Orange (Count The Time), Bushwacker (Outflanker) and Premium Saltine (Salt Lake). Harvard Avenue earned his second career graded win, following a score in the 2005 Potrero Grande Breeders' Cup H. (G2). The six-year-old owns placings in the Malibu S. (G1), San Felipe S. (G2) and San Carlos H. (G2), while compiling $475,126 in earnings from a 22-5-5-4 mark. The winner was bred in the Bluegrass State and produced from the three-time stakes-winning Carrie Can (Saratoga Six). Harvard Avenue has a pair of unnamed half-siblings, a two-year-old half-brother by Langfuhr and a yearling half-sister by Tale of the Cat.
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