X Y Jet Sidelined With Knee Chip

X Y Jet, the gritty sprinter who just missed winning the Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-I) when he was edged by Muarrab in the final strides March 26 at Meydan, has been sidelined with a chip in his left knee, trainer Jorge Navarro confirmed March 30.

"It's a small flake. He came back a little bit sore after the race, so we took an X-ray," Navarro said. "The first day I watched him walk, on a scale of 1-5 he was sore a 2. The next day, he was much better, and he's back to walking perfect now. But we want to do the right thing by the horse."

According to Navarro, the minor injury is in the same location X Y Jet underwent surgery on last year. The horse will depart Dubai March 31 on the same flight as 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome  , and after clearing quarantine in Chicago will join the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) winner on a van bound for Taylor Made Farm near Nicholasville, Ky. for a few months of rest and relaxation.

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"He had the issue before he even left for Dubai. It wasn't much, but it still kind of hinders him," said co-owner Gary Hartunian of Rockingham Ranch. "I just want to make sure the horse gets all the (rest and relaxation) he needs, freshened up real good."

X Y Jet, a 4-year-old Kantharos   gelding, has won six of his 15 starts and has finished out of the money only once. He won three consecutive stakes and was on a five-race winning streak with Navarro heading into the Golden Shaheen. Hartunian bought a majority interest in the horse in February from Gelfenstein Farm. 

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"We believe he's going to come back 150%," said Navarro, who added the surgery would be done by Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital. "Hopefully everything comes out right and we'll have the same horse at the end of the year."

Plans call for X Y Jet to run at Del Mar and in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) in California during the second half of the year, a goal his connections believe he can still maintain.

"We'll freshen him up and probably bring him out to Del Mar and Breeders' Cup," Hartunian said.