X Y Jet Comes Back to Win Mr. Prospector

X Y Jet became the only horse in the history of the $100,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) to win the six-furlong sprint twice, winning by a half-length Dec. 23 at Gulfstream Park. What made the accomplishment all the more special is that the 5-year-old gelding won the races two years apart.

Sidelined this year while recovering from injury, X Y Jet shook off the rust accumulated from a 13-month layoff and posted a front-running triumph under jockey Emisael Jaramillo. Unlike his easy 9 1/4-length triumph in the 2015 Mr. Prospector, X Y Jet had to work hard while tiring in deep stretch to prevail by a half-length.

"I asked myself all the time: 'Is he ready?' Come on, it's been two years, two races in two years," said trainer Jorge Navarro, whose gelding hadn't seen action since finishing third in the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Stakes (G3) at Laurel Park in November of 2016.

X Y Jet broke sharply to assume the lead along the backstretch and showed the way to his nine rivals into the stretch after setting fractions of :22.21 and :44.81 for the first half mile. First Growth, who captured the Claiming Crown Express at Gulfstream Dec. 2, chased the pacesetter before launching a serious outside bid leaving the turn into the homestretch. X Y Jet battled back while drifting out in deep stretch to secure an emotional victory for his trainer.

"He made me. It's crazy what I'm going through right now," said Navarro, who enjoyed a six-race winning streak in 2016 that was snapped by a photo-finish second-place finish in the Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored By Gulf News (G1) in Dubai.

Sent off as the 7-5 favorite, X Y Jet ran six furlongs in 1:09.45 on a fast track to win his seventh race in 18 starts for Rockingham Ranch and Gelfenstein Farm. The winner returned $5, $3.60, and $3.20 across the board. 

"We'll see how he come out. If he comes out, they're in trouble," Navarro said. "That's all I can say."

The ultimate goal is a return to Dubai for the Golden Shaheen on the Dubai World Cup card March 30.

"I think there is a Florida-bred race (Jan. 20 Sunshine Millions Sprint) If I can get a month in between, you'll see him here one more time (before the Golden Shaheen)," Navarro said.

First Growth, who was ridden by Gerardo Corrales, finished fourth lengths ahead of Sonic Mule, the 7-2 second choice ridden by John Velazquez. K Wave, Fast Friar, Fire Mission, Quijote, Quinientos, Yourdreamsormine, and Sweetontheladies completed the order of finish. 

Bred by Didier Plasencia in Florida, X Y Jet was purchased by Antonio Sano for $56,000 at the 2013 Ocala Breeders' Sales' August yearling sale. He boosted his earnings Saturday to $860,053.