X Y Jet the Leader of the GP Sprint Pack

Rockingham Ranch and Gelfenstein Farm's X Y Jet is riding a four-race win streak and figures to make it five Feb. 27 in the $100,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes (gr. III) in South Florida. The 4-year-old gelding's last two starts over the local strip produced sub 1:09 final times with wins by a combined 13 1/2 lengths, so an additional sixteenth of a mile shouldn't bother him.



The 38th running of the Gulfstream Sprint is one of eight stakes, six of them graded, on a 13-race program that includes the Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II) and Davona Dale Stakes (gr. II). The Gulfstream Sprint goes as race four with an approximate posttime of 1:27 p.m. EST.



"He's doing the best I've ever seen him train," trainer Jorge Navarro told the Gulfstream media team. "He's ready. We're spacing him out and giving him time. It's just a matter of keeping him happy. He's a tough horse and you've got to know how to train him.



"He's like a grumpy old man that doesn't want to be bothered," he said. "That's his mentality, so we just stay away from him and let him do what he wants to do. When we take him to the track it takes him an hour, but we take enough time with him and he pays us back."



He's paid back with four wins dating back to last September at Monmouth Park. His Gulfstream wins have come in the Dec. 19 Mr. Prospector Stakes (gr. III) and Sunshine Millions Sprint Stakes Jan. 16.



Rockingham Ranch purchased a majority interest in the son of Kantharos  —Soldiersingsblues, by Lost Solder, from Gelfenstein Farm following the Sunshine Millions. X Y Jet has earned an invitation to run next in the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-I) at Meydan March 26.

DUCKWORTH: Rockingham Buys Majority Interest in X Y Jet



"That is the meaning of a lifetime," Navarro said. "Eight years ago I was hustling horses. I went to the Breeders' Cup eight years later and now to go to Dubai, it can't get better than that."



While X Y Jet figures to be on the lead, he should have plenty of company among his seven rivals.



Chalk Racing's Ready for Rye is making his first start since tiring behind Mongolian Saturday in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IT) Oct. 31 at Keeneland. The son of City Zip  —Embroidery, by More Than Ready  , won Gulfstream Park's seven-furlong Swale Stakes (gr. II) at 3 last winter.

Another son of City Zip, Grand Bili, also has some early speed and enters the Gulfstream Park Sprint off a layoff. The 4-year-old won last year's Carry Back Stakes (gr. III) over the track and has a 2-2-0 slate in four local outings.



Just off the early pace figures to be Trouble Kid, Barbara Hopkins' 4-year-old by Harlan's Holiday. A multiple stakes winner in the Midlantic region last fall, Trouble Kid could bounce back off quickly off his fifth-place effort Feb. 15 in the Rail Splitter Stakes at the trip. An outside draw may also play to his favor.



If X Y Jet falters on the front end, Gelfenstein Farm's closing Brothersofthetime has some potential.