Sharp works reveal new side of Gunnevera

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Gunnevera has always been a hard horse to motivate in his works. Until recently, that is.

Gunnevera worked five furlongs last Saturday morning in 59.40 seconds at Gulfstream Park West with Luis Saez aboard. The work came on the heels of a 58.60 clocking for the same distance one week earlier. Gunnevera is preparing for the Dubai World Cup on March 31.

“He’s never worked like this in his life,” said trainer Antonio Sano. “He did it easily both times. And Luis told me when he got off the other morning he’s like a completely different horse right now.”

Sano discovered that Gunnevera had a partially descended testicle following his third-place finish in the Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 27. The vet advised no surgery and suggested alternative treatments to help relieve the discomfort.

“He’s 100 percent more comfortable at the moment and I’m expecting his best race yet in Dubai,” said Sano, who plans to breeze Gunnevera twice more before he departs for Dubai on March 20.

Sharp Azteca misses work

Sharp Azteca, one of two horses trainer Jorge Navarro is pointing for Dubai along with X Y Jet, had a scheduled work on Sunday canceled after not cleaning up his feed tub the previous evening.

“Not eating just wasn’t like him, so we checked him out and discovered his white blood count was a little high,” Navarro said on Monday. “He doesn’t appear to be sick, but he might be fighting off a little virus. It’s nothing we’re concerned about, and missing a work is not an issue since he went so strong the previous week. I’ll bring him back to breeze on Saturday.”

Navarro is aiming Sharp Azteca for the Godolphin Mile, with X Y Jet being pointed for the Dubai Golden Shaheen.