Fair Grounds: Havre de Grace has first work of the year

Havre de Grace, the 2011 Horse of the Year, had her first timed workout of 2012 on Friday morning at Fair Grounds, breezing three furlongs in 37.20 seconds.

With exercise rider Jen Brasser up, Havre de Grace worked immediately after the track opened at 6 a.m., breezing from the three-furlong pole to the wire and galloping out a half-mile in a little more than 52 seconds.

“She wasn’t being asked at all,” Fair Grounds clocker Mike Diliberto told track publicity.

Five-year-old Havre de Grace’s return after a fall and winter break has gone smoothly. Trainer Larry Jones has mentioned two races as possible comeback spots, the New Orleans Ladies on March 17 and the April 1 New Orleans Handicap, where Havre de Grace would face males for the third time.

Havre de Grace made her 2011 debut on March 19, winning the Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn after having six published works beginning on Jan. 31. Jones said a few days ago that he expected Havre de Grace’s race-readiness to progress rapidly in coming weeks.