Racing Dudes Three Stars of the Week: Girvin Stakes Claim in Haskell Stakes

It was Grade 1s galore last week across the country! Saratoga, Del Mar, and Monmouth Park all ran loaded cards on the weekend, and the racing – as usual – was top quality. As far as the 3-year-olds go, this was the weekend we were all waiting for, and needless to say, we saw several surprising results. Let’s see who made our Three Stars of the Week after a wild weekend of racing.

1. Girvin

After examining the seven-horse field in the Haskell Stakes, I proclaimed that Girvin was the only horse you could possibly throw out in the race. Obviously, that was a great call, and it also accurately sums up this year’s 3-year-old division as the results keep getting wackier with each round of races. Girvin was awesome in winning the Grade 1 Haskell and there’s no denying that he now has to be considered one of the top 3-year-old horses in the crop. Even with a less-than-perfect trip, he was still able to win, which means a lot.

2. Stellar Wind

The champion just keeps on winning, despite Vale Dori trying her best to upset her. Last weekend’s Clement L. Hirsch Stakes was a very slim margin of victory for Stellar Wind, but it was her third Grade 1 win of the year. After this win, she now holds a firm grip on the number-one spot in the older filly and mare division, especially with Songbird’s next race in question. You’d have to think that Stellar Wind will head to the Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita next before trying to finally win the Breeders’ Cup Distaff to round out the year.

3. El Deal

There’s fast, and then there’s El Deal! He absolutely set the track on fire in the Grade 1 Vanderbilt, smashing the field in wire-to-wire fashion. The horse is the latest miracle sprinter who was given to trainer Jorge Navarro as just an average type of horse and is now a Grade 1 winner. With his type of serious speed, he’s always going to be very dangerous going 6 furlongs or shorter. There could be many good days ahead for this one as he just keeps getting better and better since the barn change.