Haskell winner Girvin put in a solid work as he prepares for his next start in the Travers. (Photo credit: Fair Grounds Race Course).
Brad Grady’s Grade 1 Haskell winner Girvin turned in his penultimate work for the Grade 1 Travers, breezing four furlongs in 50.45 seconds over the Oklahoma training track soon after the track opened at 5:30 a.m. Saturday.
With trainer Joe Sharp aboard for the move, the 3-year-old Tale of Ekati colt went the first quarter-mile in 24 4/5 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:04 1/5, according to NYRA clockers.
“He worked excellent,” said Sharp. “He just went a maintenance half and he appears to come out of it super so far. We’re all systems go.
“He’ll come back and work next weekend, probably next Saturday, depending on the weather,” he added. “He’ll probably work in company for his last work before the Travers. We’re still on the fence whether we’re going to work over the main track or Oklahoma. He did gallop over the main track this week and will again this week. We’ll make a decision as the week goes on.”
Still recovering from a quarter-crack when he finished 13th in the Kentucky Derby, Girvin picked up his first Grade 1 victory by a nose over McCraken in the Haskell on July 30, following up on a close runner-up effort to Irap in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby in June, two rivals who are also targeting the ‘Mid-Summer Derby.’
“It’s like he knows he’s getting good and he’s getting more confident in himself physically and mentally,” Sharp said of the colt’s progression. “I think having a full shoe on and being able to go out on a daily basis on a normal regimen, he’s just getting more confident in the routine and it’s shown in his performance.”
Cloud Computing’s work impresses Brown, G1 Travers still possibility
Preakness winner Cloud Computing breezed Friday morning, logging four furlongs in 49.09 seconds on the fast main track, remaining a possibility for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers presented by NYRA Bets on August 26.
Cloud Computing breezed for the first time since finishing fifth in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy July 29. Ridden by Javier Castellano, the 3-year-old Maclean’s Music colt impressed trainer Chad Brown.
“The horse went great,” Brown said. “It was an easy half-mile, but he was moving very well. I’m very pleased with it. I just wanted to see how the horse was moving over this track because clearly he didn’t run his race in the Jim Dandy, but it’s a much different track today than it was that day; a lot tighter, in better condition. I thought the horse was moving extremely well, galloped out strong, it was just what I was looking for.”
Castellano, who rode Cloud Computing in both the Preakness and Jim Dandy, said he was also happy with the colt’s morning run.
“He wasn’t looking for something, timing-wise,” Castellano said. “He wanted a nice, comfortable work. He felt great, I think he worked in 49. He worked really good, nice and comfortable… I just let him breeze in a nice comfortable rhythm, he worked pretty good. I’m happy the way he felt galloping out.
“I liked what I saw today, happy and satisfied with the way he did it,” he added. “He did it easy…that is what we look for; just want to see how the horse feels.”
Brown said is still determining where Cloud Computing will run next, with the Travers still under consideration.
“I haven’t made my mind up yet. Initially, I would have said after his Jim Dandy race [that] I probably would not go on after a poor effort like that,” Brown said. “But now, evaluating it in hindsight; how deep the track was that day, and how he wasn’t the only horse that struggled that day and how he’s come back and trained well since, we have to at least consider it.”
Brown also sent 3-year-old filly New Money Honey to the main track Saturday morning, preparing for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $250,000 Alabama, breezing five furlongs in 1:01.34.
“She’s training great on the main track,” Brown said. “We’re going to try her on the dirt for the first time in the Alabama next week.”
The Alabama will be the Medaglia d’Oro filly’s debut on dirt after six career starts on turf, highlighted by victories in the Grade 3 Miss Grillo, the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational last out on July 8.
Timeline returned to the track this morning following his fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational, his first career defeat after victories in the Grade 3 Peter Pan and Grade 3 Pegasus, respectively. The son of Hard Spun breezed four furlongs in 49.75 at Belmont Park, but Brown said he is undecided as to where he will point next.
“He had his first breeze back since the Haskell this morning at Belmont,” Brown said. “It went well. Not sure what we’re going to do with him, we’ll take it week to week. Everything is in consideration. We’ll see how he’s training.”
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