Girvin has first work for Louisiana Derby

Girvin took another step toward the $1 million Louisiana Derby, to be run April 1, when he worked a half-mile in 49 seconds on Saturday at Fair Grounds. The drill was Girvin’s first officially timed exercise since he won the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds on Feb. 25.

Ridden by former jockey Rosie Napravnik, Girvin worked in company with Cool Arrow, who was ridden by trainer Joe Sharp, Napravnik’s spouse.

“It went great,” Sharp said Sunday. “Rosie said she had plenty of horse. Girvin’s one of those horses that just does what you ask him in a work. When she stood up, he galloped out way in front past the wire. He came back 100 percent today.”

Girvin, who failed to sell at several 2-year-old auctions for owner Brad Grady, won a fast dirt sprint in his career debut last December at Fair Grounds. He was unable to start Jan. 21 in the Lecomte Stakes because Sharp had stabled Girvin with his string at the Evangeline Downs training center when the Fair Grounds backstretch came under a state-imposed quarantine after an equine herpesvirus outbreak.

Trying to get Girvin two-turn experience before the Risen Star, Sharp ran him in the Keith Gee Memorial, a one-mile grass race in which he finished second. Girvin, getting a favorable trip under Brian Hernandez Jr., won the Risen Star by two lengths, earning a career-best 93 Beyer Speed Figure.

Girvin also developed a relatively minor foot problem this winter and for a time was wearing a special shoe, but Sharp said the colt is regularly shod now.

“It’s just more waiting now,” he said. “He’s got two more works before the Louisiana Derby. I would say he just keeps kind of moving forward right now. I’d say he’s probably a little inflated from his last start, his personality and confidence level. He’s all boy out there, a lot of horse, but he has manners when he needs to.”