Oklahoma Derby to decide Girvin's plans for Breeders' Cup

Girvin has Breeders’ Cup options come November. He earned a berth in the Classic by winning the Haskell Invitational, but his connections also are open to the Dirt Mile.

The first order of business for the horse comes Sunday, said trainer Joe Sharp. Girvin is on deck for the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park.

A decision on whether to proceed to the Breeders’ Cup will be made after his connections see how he comes out of the race.

“We’ll let Girvin tell us what he’s capable of,” said Sharp.

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Girvin was scheduled to ship in from Kentucky on Thursday and train at Remington on Saturday. Robby Albarado has the mount on the horse, who won the first Grade 1 race of his career in July in the Haskell. He defeated a field that included Practical Joke, who in his next start won the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial at Saratoga.

The Haskell was the first Grade 1 win for both Sharp and owner Brad Grady.

“We were really excited for Girvin, and ourselves, to get the Grade 1 win under our belt, under his belt, securing some value in him,” said Sharp.

Girvin has won four of his eight starts and earned $1.5 million. He has raced once since the Haskell, finishing 11th in the Travers on Aug. 26 at Saratoga. Sharp said he feels the horse did not handle the surface in New York. Earlier this year, Girvin won a pair of Grade 2 races at Fair Grounds, the Risen Star and Louisiana Derby.