Girvano, Immeasurable Joy to decide divided Bartley Memorial

UNITED States-bred GIRVANO and imported-in-utero IMMEASURABLE JOY could land their respective divisions of Sunday’s seven-furlong Hubert Bartley Memorial at contrasting odds.

GIRVANO appears a turnkey winner for division one, making rapid headway for third at five and a half furlongs behind sprinters UNBELIEVABLE FORCE and MONEY MARKET on May 24.

Prior to that run, GIRVANO was outsped at nine furlongs by another of Philip Feanny’s American ‘Forces’, DIVINE FORCE ripping 1:52.3 after a cracking mile in 1:38.4.

GIRVANO chased DIVINE FORCE the entire trip, taken out of his comfort zone, but still managed to close inside the final furlong for a two-and-a-half length loss.

A strong middle-distance closer, GIRVANO clocked 1:26.3 at seven furlongs on March 23, beating stablemate FRED THE MASTER, securing consecutive wins after being awarded a maiden victory in the stewards’ room when hindered by fellow importee, NEPHEW, a month earlier.

GIRVANO’s third victory was also in the stewards’ room, blocked along the rail by UNRULY MO when about to go by in the stretch run at seven and a half furlongs run on April 19.

Beaten by superior ‘Forces’ in his last two races, GIRVANO should blow past the leaders, considering there is no real pace to run him off his legs down the backstretch.

Division two appears a bit trickier but IMMEASURABLE JOY should use her great form to have the measure of nine rivals. Ignore IMMEASURABLE JOY’s down-the-track loss behind RHYTHM BUZZ, finishing last of 10.

After turning back BRENDA BOY in 1:40.3 at a mile on May 3, IMMEASURABLE JOY’s next two outings were against open overnight-allowance runners, first finishing an even seventh behind INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD, MAJOR DANGER and BLUE VINYL at seven furlongs.

Finishing in 1:28.0 behind INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD’s 1:27.0, IMMEASURABLE JOY briefly chased the pace in her next race, prominent to the half-mile, before backing out of the event won by back-to-form RHYTHM BUZZ beating BLUE VINYL.

IMMEASURABLE JOY clearly underperformed against out-of-class RHYTHM BUZZ. She was nowhere close to runner-up BLUE VINYL, who only had four lengths on her when both were beaten by INTRESTNTIMESAHEAD in their previous race.

Wesley Henry has retained the ride aboard IMMEASURABLE JOY, who is technically down in class, dropping from open to restricted overnight-allowance company, horses who have never won at the level.