All three Navarro runners in Alfred Vanderbilt look dangerous
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Jorge Navarro is quickly earning a good reputation for training fast horses.
Last year, Navarro brought Private Zone to Saratoga to win the Grade 1 Forego as a prelude to his second-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. And last winter, Navarro shipped X Y Jet to Dubai to finish a close second in the Group 1 Golden Shaheen.
On Saturday, Navarro will send a formidable trio of speedsters – Catalina Red, Delta Bluesman, and Chublicious – from his Monmouth Park base to Saratoga for the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap. All three are in peak form, having won eight of their last nine starts combined.
“If you ask me which one I like, I can’t give you an answer,” Navarro said. “That’s how good all three of them are doing right now.”
Catalina Red is the most accomplished of the three, having won the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes on Derby Day before finishing fourth as the even-money favorite in the Grade 2 True North at Belmont Park in his last start.
“His last race was my fault,” said Navarro. “The race kind of fell apart after Private Zone scratched. There was no speed, and I told Javier [Castellano] to come out running, which this horse really doesn’t want to do. He wants to lay third or fourth and make one run, and that’s what he’ll do Saturday.”
Delta Bluesman has won three of his last four starts while also losing out on a victory via disqualification in Monmouth’s Decathlon Stakes. He has already earned a spot in the BC Sprint by virtue of his 3 3/4-length victory in Gulfstream Park’s Grade 2 Smile Sprint.
“I was going to give him some time after the Smile, but he’s just so sharp right now,” said Navarro. “I don’t think there’s any speed in this race like he’s got. He’s going to the lead, and whoever wants to try to come join him, they’re more than welcome to try.”
Chublicious, a New Jersey-bred, was purchased privately and turned over to Navarro earlier this season. He has won both of his starts since changing barns, including the six-furlong Mr. Prospector last month at Monmouth.
Anchor Down is in top form, but his status for the Vanderbilt is questionable after he drew post 1. Anchor Down was scratched last month from the Belmont Sprint Championship when also drawing the rail.
Holy Boss seeks his first victory since winning the Grade 2 Amsterdam here one year ago. Trainer Steve Asmussen will add blinkers to his equipment following a third-place finish after an unlucky start in the True North.
Requite was idle for 10 months after his second-place finish in the 2015 Amsterdam, finally returning to win an overnight stakes last month at Gulfstream Park.
Alfred G. Vanderbilt, Race 9
KEY CONTENDERS
Anchor Down, by Tapit
Last 3 Beyers: 98-105-96
◗ If he does start, it would mark only the third time in 15 outings that Anchor Down has raced at six furlongs and the first time since he finished third against allowance company last winter at Gulfstream Park.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Anchor Down. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 11-0-1-0 over the past five years going route to sprint in graded stakes at Saratoga. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Delta Bluesman, by Wagon Limit
Last 3 Beyers: 103-101-103
◗ Ran a huge race in the Smile Sprint, reasserting himself after relinquishing the lead on the turn before drawing off to an easy win over the favored Limousine Liberal.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Delta Bluesman. Trainer Jorge Navarro is 30-16-9-1 with a $3.42 ROI over the past five years in dirt sprints with Emisael Jaramillo aboard. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Holy Boss. Trainer Steve Asmussen is 5-0-0-1 over the past five years adding blinkers in graded stakes. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan