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.