Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) winner Girvin made his final work for the Aug. 26 Travers Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) a swift one Aug. 19 at Saratoga Race Course, where he earned the bullet for five furlongs on the day.
Under the supervision of trainer Joe Sharp, the son of Tale of Ekati breezed in :59.98 with jockey Robby Albarado aboard. Girvin worked in company with stakes winner Line Judge, the last-out seventh-place finisher in the July 7 Iowa Derby (G3), and went fastest of 11 at the distance. Sharp, who kept a watchful eye on his stable star while aboard Line Judge, was pleased with the move.
"He worked unbelievable today," Sharp said. "He went in :59 4/5 and he outworked Line Judge, who is no slouch and a stakes winner in his own right. He's doing very well right now and was really moving out there."
Albarado has the return call in the 10-furlong Travers. He rode Girvin for the first time in the Haskell.
"I think it's just maturity with him," Sharp said of Girvin's improvement this summer. "He knows he's good and he's confident. He's always been a talented horse and his feet are great right now. I'm really happy with how he's coming up to the race."
Meanwhile, the decision on whether Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Cloud Computing will run in the Travers will wait until Aug. 21, according to trainer Chad Brown.
The Maclean's Music colt breezed five furlongs on Saratoga's main track Saturday morning with Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano in the irons. The pair stopped the timer in 1:01.65 over the fast track.
"It went good," Brown said. "I won't make any decision yet until I talk to the owners. I'll be sure about what I'm doing Monday. I'm going to give myself until Monday. I want to see how the horse comes out of the work, take time to talk to the owners, and think about it. He couldn't have worked any better. I was very happy with the work and Javier was pleased."
Castellano, a five-time winner of the Travers who rode Cloud Computing to an upset victory in the Preakness and a fifth-place finish in the July 29 Jim Dandy Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G2), said the objective was to keep the horse happy and fresh.
"He felt great," Castellano said. "I'm happy with the way he did it, the right way. (It was a) nice and easy work. We weren't looking for anything more, because we know he's a good work horse. It was just something to maintain before he goes to the race.
"(He was) nice and comfortable—relaxed. He just sat steady and galloped out beautiful. I didn't overdo it because today the goal was just to maintain."
Set to put in their final Travers works are Jim Dandy winner Good Samaritan, who will breeze Aug. 20 for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, and Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) runner-up Lookin At Lee, who finished third last out in the Aug. 5 West Virginia Derby (G3). Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen expects to work both Lookin At Lee and multiple grade 1 winner Gun Runner Aug. 21. Gun Runner remains on track for a run in the Sept. 2 Woodward Stakes (G1).
