Serpe cites presence of Navarro horse as factor in Vosburgh decision

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Phil Serpe is considering running his 7-year-old New York-bred millionaire Weekend Hideaway in Saturday’s Grade 1 Vosburgh at Belmont Park.

One factor Serpe is weighing in his decision is whether he wants to run in a race that includes El Deal, a horse trained by Jorge Navarro.

Navarro has become the subject of much scrutiny since a video appeared of him and one of his owners bragging about potential impropriety and screaming obscenities while at Monmouth Park and watching a horse win a race trained by Navarro’s brother Marcial at Gulfstream Park.

Navarro was fined $10,000 by the New Jersey Racing Commission for “conduct detrimental to racing.” Navarro had been barred from running horses at some tracks, but was permitted to run at New York Racing Association tracks. Last Saturday, the Navarro-trained Sharp Azteca won the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap at Belmont.

Navarro on Saturday said, “It’s going to take a while for me to earn people’s trust again, but I’m going to do it.”

El Deal is 3 for 3 under Navarro’s tutelage – and 9 for 16 overall – and is coming off an eight-length victory in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap on July 29 at Saratoga.

Serpe said Monday: “Allowing Navarro to run is a slap in the face to the honest guys. They say there’s a level playing field; it’s not a level playing field. There are guys that cheat here and something needs to be done about it.”

The New York stewards required Navarro to ship Sharp Azteca to Belmont from Monmouth Park three days before the Kelso, and there was security detail outside the barn for 72 hours. The same mandate will be in place for El Deal.

“I don’t think they should let that guy participate here,” Serpe said. “If [management] wants to make a stand or a level playing field, then they need to make a stand.”

Weekend Hideaway has run in the Vosburgh in each of the past two years. Last year, Weekend Hideaway finished third while X Y Jet, a horse trained by Navarro, finished fifth as the 6-5 favorite.

On Monday, Weekend Hideaway worked four furlongs in 47.69 seconds over the Belmont main track.

Others expected for the Vosburgh, a Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, are Favorite Tale, Green Gratto, Mr. Crow, Stallwalkin’ Dude, and Takaful.