Navarro's stakes winners looking for big game

Catalina Red and Sharp Azteca both shipped north from south Florida and won graded stakes races on Derby Day at Churchill Downs for trainer Jorge Navarro, but they will not be going back to Florida.

Navarro said Monday that the two horses were bound for his string at Monmouth Park, where he will have about 65 horses stabled for the upcoming meet.

Catalina Red, making his first start for Navarro after racing nine times for trainer Chad Stewart, ran the race of his life and won the Grade 2 Churchill Downs over a strong field by one length, earning a career-best 105 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I can’t take all the credit for that one,” said Navarro. “I worked him one time and then sent him to Kentucky.”

There are two possible spots for Catalina Red at Belmont Park next month. He could shorten up to six furlongs for the True North on June 10 or stretch out from seven furlongs to one mile in the Metropolitan Handicap on the Belmont Stakes card June 11.

“[Owner Anthony Lenci] mentioned to me he thinks the horse wants to run a little longer,” Navarro said.

Sharp Azteca won his third straight race with the strongest performance of his career to capture the Pat Day Mile on Saturday. He dueled on a scorching pace but held clear the onrushing Forevamo, who was good enough to finish second in the Risen Star Stakes earlier this year. Sharp Azteca was making his stakes debut after a Gulfstream first-level allowance win April 3. He earned a career-best 95 Beyer on Saturday.

“He came back good,” Navarro said. “It’s 60-40 he goes to the Preakness. We’re going to make a decision in the next couple days. If he doesn’t go to the Preakness, we’ll put him on hold and point for the Pegasus and the Haskell at Monmouth.”

Before leaving Kentucky, Navarro made a stop at Taylor Made Farm, where X Y Jet is rehabilitating after knee surgery. X Y Jet most recently finished second in the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen.

Navarro said he’s still uncertain whether he’ll get the horse back when X Y Jet is ready to return to serious training or if he’ll go to trainer Peter Miller in California.

“He’s hand-walking right now and is supposed to be turned out for the first time this week,” said Navarro. “He looks really good.”

Navarro has gone 10 for 40 during the Gulfstream meet that began April 6 and is tied with Todd Pletcher for first in the standings. But he said he’ll keep only about 20 horses behind in Florida after shifting the bulk of his main string to Monmouth.

◗ One horse who was entered but won’t start in the featured eighth race Wednesday is Copingaway, who upset the $75,000 English Channel Stakes on Saturday after entries for Wednesday’s card had already been taken. In Copingaway’s absence, Lucky Kitten looks like the favorite in this first-level turf-route allowance race, with the rail-drawn Stock in with a chance at an upset if Lucky Kitten takes pace pressure.