Girvin

GIRVIN (c, Tale of Ekati—Catch the Moon, by Malibu Moon)

O-Brad Grady. B-Bob Austin & John Witte (KY). T-Joe Sharp. Sales History: $140,000 RNA Ylg '15 KEESEP; $130,000 Ylg '15 FTKOCT. Lifetime Record: MGSW, 4-3-1-0, $874,400.

Last Start: 1st, GII Louisiana Derby, FG, Apr. 1

Accomplishments Include: 1st, GII Risen Star S., FG, Feb. 25

Thoro-Graph sheet, Equineline PPs

KY Derby Points: 150

Girvin has been downgraded from spot No. 4 since the last installment of the TDN Top 20 after a quarter crack was discovered in his right front hoof Apr. 19. He's been fitted with a special bar shoe and utilized hyperbaric chambers and swimming amenities before finally getting in a twice-postponed five-eighths breeze in :59.60 (2/16) at Keeneland on Saturday. “He worked extremely well and cooled out great,” said trainer Sharp. “Every day the foot has been better and better, but typically this kind of issue does improve like that.” While the quarter crack itself can certainly be overcome (and let's be realistic–any of the other 19 Derby contenders could be facing similar nagging ailments that have not yet been made public), the combination of missed training and my previous skepticism about the not-very-deep stakes fields Girvin beat in his Fair Grounds preps have eroded my level of trust in him to some degree. On the plus side, Girvin kept stretching out and winning through his first four career races, doing everything that was asked of him in capable, relaxed fashion. He has admirable tactical speed, and partnering with unflappable big-money rider Mike Smith is bound to be a positive. But he will still have to make another leap forward in terms of ability if he's to win the Derby, and the gap to victory has widened a little more over the past two weeks.

VIDEO PPS