Girvin Returns to Racing in Sexton Mile

Brad Grady's Girvin could have returned to racing back at Churchill Downs, a year after his run in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1).

But trainer Joe Sharp took a reasoned approach to spotting the 2017 Betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) winner's 2018 debut, with an eye on a prize under the Twin Spires a little farther down the line.

"We're not ducking anybody," Sharp said of the decision to send the 4-year-old Tale of Ekati  colt to Lone Star Park May 6 for the $200,000 Steve Sexton Mile (G3). "Obviously (Kentucky is) home, but I strategically didn't want to that, because undercard Derby races are always tough. We wanted him to get a race under his belt and the fact that Lone Star is in Brad Grady's back yard didn't hurt.

"If things go as planned and he runs as he should—a winning race—I think we'll have no problem trying the (grade 1) Stephen Foster (June 16 at Churchill)."

The Haskell win gave Girvin a spot in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar, but after two dull efforts in the Travers Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) and the Oklahoma Derby (G3), the decision was made to give the dark bay an extended break.

WINCZE HUGHES: Girvin Gets it Done in Haskell Invitational

"He was doing great, then was lackluster in the Travers and came back and didn't really fire in the Oklahoma Derby," Sharp said. "At that point it was a no-brainer. He was telling us he needed a break. We had to utilize some self control and didn't run in the Breeders' Cup. We sent him to Grand Oaks in Ocala and he came back in February—bigger, stronger, and better, mentally and physically.

"I breezed him myself last time (a half-mile in :49 2/5 April 29 at Keeneland). It was Girvin at his best. We're expecting a big performance."

In the field of seven, however, the grade 1 winner isn't even the favorite on the morning line. That distinction goes to the speedy Bee Jersey, who has won three of his last four starts for trainer Steve Asmussen since relocating to the U.S. from Dubai.

The Jersey Town  colt placed in the UAE Two Thousand Guineas Sponsored By District One Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum City (G3) before a fifteenth-place run in the UAE Derby Sponsored By The Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (G2) in 2017, but aced his U.S. debut with a maiden special weight win at Keeneland in October. Then came a second-place run in a Churchill allowance in November, which was followed by two impressive allowance scores—by six and 7 3/4 lengths—at Oaklawn Park and Keeneland, respectively, to start his 4-year-old season.

Sharp's quest to validate Girvin's quality—something he felt was an ongoing effort last year—figures to continue a year later.

"I felt like last year we were trying to prove Girvin to everybody. We had to validate ourselves in the public's eye and rightfully so," Sharp said. "It's important to Brad, who from day one has said, no matter what, he wanted to run him as an older horse and not cash out at 3."

Entries: Steve Sexton Mile S. (G3)

Lone Star Park, Sunday, May 06, 2018, Race 9

• Grade III
• 1m
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 7:06 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Futile (KY)	Lindey Wade	117	Chris A. Hartman	8/1
2	2Shotgun Kowboy (OK)	Luis S. Quinonez	119	C. R. Trout	10/1
3	3Franco (KY)	Lane J. Luzzi	117	Bryan Porter	30/1
4	4Oh So Regal (KY)	Alfredo J. Juarez, Jr.	123	Miguel L. Hernandez	7/2
5	5Girvin (KY)	Adam Beschizza	119	Joe Sharp	2/1
6	6Bee Jersey (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	119	Steven M. Asmussen	9/5
7	7South Beach (FL)	Iram Vargas Diego	119	Steven M. Asmussen	12/1