Girolamo aims to bolster resume in Sprint

Initially part of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum's Darley Stable,

Girolamo began his career by breaking his maiden at Saratoga and finishing

fourth in the Futurity S. (G2) and Champagne S. (G1) at Belmont. Subsequently

transferred to Godolphin, the dark bay launched his sophomore campaign with

dominant allowance victories at Saratoga and Belmont, then overcame a troubled

start to win Belmont's one-mile Jerome H. (G2) by 1 1/4 lengths last fall.

"He went through his conditions pretty impressively last summer, and then he

won the Jerome," Mettee said. "We had a decision to make on going to the

Breeders' Cup on synthetic and at what distance to run him. They were putting in

a synthetic track at Meydan, and we wanted to know if he'd handle it."

After Girolamo struggled home last of 12 in the Breeders' Cup Classic at 1

1/4 miles, Godolphin elected to give the colt a break and point him toward a

four-year-old campaign.

"He proved he wasn't a synthetic horse and wasn't a mile and a quarter

horse," Mettee said. "After that, the decision was made to keep him in training

this year and try to win a Grade 1."

Following a fifth in the Forego S. (G1) at Saratoga in his first start of

2010, Girolamo achieved that goal when he won the Vosburgh S. (G1) on October 2.

"We got a late start with him, and Saeed earmarked the Vosburgh as a winnable

Grade 1," Mettee said. "Everything worked out pretty well."

While Girolamo certainly has the pedigree of a top-class horse, Mettee admits

he initially didn't expect the colt to blossom as a sprinter, given his family.

Girolamo's siblings include Accelerator, winner of the Pilgrim S. (G3) at 1 1/16

miles and third in the one-mile Metropolitan H. (G1), and Daydreaming, who won

graded stakes at distances ranging from one mile to 1 1/8 miles and was third in

the Spinaway S. (G1) at seven furlongs. Black type eluded full sisters

Supercharger and She's a Winner, but they have gone to respectively produce

Super Saver, winner of this year's Kentucky Derby (G1), and Bluegrass Cat,

winner of the 2007 Haskell Invitational (G1) and runner-up in the Derby.

"(Girolamo's winning a Grade 1 in a sprint) is a bit surprising, looking at

him physically and given his pedigree," Mettee said. "He's an A.P. Indy, and you

associate that with horses who run long. He is out of a Mr. Prospector mare, and

that's obviously where he gets his speed."