X Y Jet Punches Ticket to Dubai with Allowance Win
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
X Y Jet and his connections in the winner's circle at Gulfstream Park
Rockingham Ranch and Gelfenstein Farm's X Y Jet romped to a 7 3/4-length victory Feb. 13 in the featured ninth race at Gulfstream Park, punching his ticket to Dubai for a third run in the $2.5 million Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Gulf News (G1) March 30.
Sent to post as the 2-5 favorite in a field of six in the stakes-caliber optional-claiming allowance, X Y Jet and jockey Emisael Jaramillo enjoyed a carefree trip while registering an uncontested frontrunning victory.
Trainer Jorge Navarro, however, had some uneasy moments leading up to Wednesday's pivotal race.
"I'm a little emotional. We were going to scratch him. He tied up on us Sunday for the first time," Navarro said. "Thank God, we have an amazing team."
The 7-year-old Kantharos gelding rebounded from the cramping condition to run six furlongs over a sloppy (sealed) track in 1:09.98, built on fractions of :22.42, :45.45, and :57.63. Santiamen finished second, three lengths ahead of Reason to Soar. Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Noble Indy finished fourth. Millionaire Runner and Cove Blue completed the order of finish.
Navarro said a return trip to Dubai hinges on how X Y Jet exits Wednesday's race.
"He looked good hitting the ground. Jaramillo felt everything perfect," said Navarro, referring to physical issues that interrupted the horse's career on several occasions.
The popular gelding has finished second twice in the Golden Shaheen, a neck behind Muarrab in 2016 and a head behind Mind Your Biscuits last year.
X Y Jet returned from Dubai last year to capture the June 30 Smile Sprint Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream before heading to the sidelines for more than six months. He was upset in his Jan. 19 return in the Sunshine Millions Sprint Stakes in which he came up uncharacteristically short to finish fourth after breaking from the rail and being subjected to heavy pace pressure.
Bred in Florida by Didier Plasencia out of the Lost Soldier mare Soldiersingsblues, X Y Jet boasts an 11-7-2 record from 24 starts and $1,595,513 in earnings.