X Y Jet Blasts Off In $100,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Rockingham Ranch and Gelfenstein Farm’s X Y Jet blasted off from the gate and never looked back, romping home in Saturday’s $100,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Sprinting clear from the rail under Emisael Jaramillo, X Y Jet set splits of :22.56 and :45.28 through the opening 1/2-mile. Drifting a bit off the far turn, Jaramillo only needed to go to the whip once to correct his steed before riding him out to a 5 1/2-length victory in a final time of 1:09.86 for the 6-furlong sprint.

“His race was excellent,” Jaramillo said. “My horse was not explosive at the start, but he has good speed and he responded well to take the lead. I was told to take the lead from the beginning because his best weapon is his speed and uses it.”

Mo Cash ran into traffic troubles early but found room to run on the front stretch and closed for second. Sweetontheladies was able to get up late to take third by a 1/2-length over Storming My Way, with Quijote, Bold Envoy, and Sheikh of Sheikhs completing the order of finish.

X Y Jet’s win was his second in as many starts since a 13-month layoff due to a third knee surgery, improving his career record to 19-8-6-2 with earnings of $920,813. Prior to the layoff, the 6-year-old gelded son of Kantharos was one of the nation’s top dirt sprinters and finished second in 2016’s Group 1 Golden Shaheen in Dubai. Navarro hopes to return him to that race again this March and will use the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint on February 20 as a final prep before making the trip.

“I always knew he was a runner,” Navarro said. “I always thought he was one of the best sprinters two years ago. Hopefully, he comes back (from this race) clean. The times he came back to me before, there wasn’t even a workout. I’m training him now. He hasn’t taken a bad step or anything, so hopefully he stays that way.”

X Y Jet returned $3.60 to win, $2.40 to place, and $2.10 to show. Mo Cash brought back $3.40 to place and $2.80 to show, while Sweetontheladies paid $6 to show.

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