Girvin, among the more accomplished 3-year-olds of 2017, posted his first racetrack work of 2018 when he went a half-mile in 49.60 seconds on Saturday at Fair Grounds.
Unraced since finishing fifth Sept. 24 in the Oklahoma Derby, Girvin, who won the $1 million Louisiana Derby and the $1 million Haskell Invitational last year, got in a couple of works at Grand Oaks Farm in Florida before shipping back to trainer Joe Sharp in New Orleans. Rosie Napravnik, Sharp’s wife, worked Girvin on Saturday.
The talented Ontario-bred 3-year-old colt Telekinesis finished third Friday night while racing against older horses in his second start and first try around two turns.
Telekinesis went to the lead under Florent Geroux in the 1 1/16-mile race but was hooked at the half-mile pole by 4-year-old Silver Dust, the pair slugging it out around the turn and into the homestretch. Telekinesis held firm until about the eighth pole, where he began to tire, eventually finishing third, beaten 1 3/4 lengths. He got an 87 Beyer Speed Figure following a 90 sprinting in his debut victory.
Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott continued his recent roll with maidens when Miss Mimosa won at first asking in impressive fashion Sunday at Gulfstream. Off six recorded breezes at Payson Park, where Mott does the bulk of his morning work, the 3-year-old Violence filly earned a 77 Beyer Speed Figure when winning the six-furlong race by five lengths under Jose Ortiz.
Mott’s longtime assistant, Kenny McCarthy, who is based apart from his boss at Gulfstream, oversees the training of Miss Mimosa.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Todd Pletcher did not make the trip Saturday across the Florida peninsula to saddle Vino Rosso for the Tampa Bay Derby, but that’s standard procedure. The superstar trainer stayed busy instead overseeing a full morning of workouts at his Palm Beach Downs winter base, preparing some of his other 3-year-olds for upcoming starts on the Kentucky Derby trail.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Eclipse Award winner Unique Bella will not make the Grade 1, $400,000 Santa Margarita Stakes this Saturday at Santa Anita after having a cough and missing some training time last week, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Monday.
Although Unique Bella has gone back to the track and has resumed galloping, she has not had a workout since Feb. 25.
“We’re not going to run in the Santa Margarita,” Hollendorfer said. “She had a little cough. There’s no reason to take a chance.”
ARCADIA, Calif. – The star-crossed sprinter Masochistic has been retired and will be transitioned to a pleasure horse, co-owner Will Shamlian said.
Masochistic, a gelding, finished eighth of nine in the Sensational Star Stakes on Sunday, the third straight race in which he beat one horse. Shamlian, who owned Masochistic most recently with Samanatha Siegel, said trainer Kristin Mulhall “will take him home and let him down, make a trail horse out of him.”
ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Mike Smith has been suspended three days by Santa Anita’s stewards, beginning this Sunday, as a result of his mount McKinzie being disqualified from victory in the San Felipe Stakes on Saturday.
McKinzie narrowly outfinished Bolt d’Oro in the San Felipe, but was taken down after a lengthy inquiry.
The suspension encompasses racing days at Santa Anita on March 18, 22, and 23.
Mike Smith will ride Forever Unbridled in the Dubai World Cup, trainer Dallas Stewart said Monday.
The mount on Forever Unbridled was open because John Velazquez, who rode the mare to victory in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, her most recent race, has important mounts at Gulfstream Park, including Audible in the Florida Derby, on the same day as the Dubai World Cup, March 31.
Irad Ortiz Jr. will be the new rider when 3-year-old Catholic Boy runs in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 31 at Gulfstream Park, John Panagot, racing manager for majority owner Robert LaPenta, said Monday.
Catholic Boy had been ridden in his last four starts by Manny Franco.
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HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Jason Servis had himself a busy day last Saturday that included sending out key contenders in a couple of important Kentucky Derby preps, the Tampa Bay Derby and Gotham. But Servis ended up having his best success on the afternoon in a pair of five-furlong stakes over the local turf course, sweeping the co-featured Silks Run and Captiva Island with Vision Perfect and Blue Bahia.
