Spring schedules for Sharp Azteca, War Story look familiar

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Jorge Navarro said earlier this week that both Sharp Azteca and War Story came out of the Pegasus World Cup Invitational in good order and that each is on a similar schedule as last spring. Sharp Azteca is heading back to Dubai for the Godolphin Mile on March 31 and War Story is scheduled to make a return trip to the Charles Town Classic three weeks later.

Sharp Azteca finished eighth in the Pegasus World Cup after steadying during the early stages of the race. Navarro said Sharp Azteca was bothered in the starting gate by Stellar Wind.

“I just put a line through that race,” he said. “Before they popped the gate, the filly next to him was acting up and it caused him not to break well. He wound up in a position he wasn’t used to, taking dirt in his face, and never ran his race.”

Navarro said Sharp Azteca would have four to five workouts at Gulfstream Park West prior to the Godolphin Mile.

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War Story raced wide and was never a factor in the Pegasus World Cup, finishing 10th, more than 30 lengths behind the winner, Gun Runner. In the 2017 Charles Town Classic, War Story finished third to the winner, Imperative, beaten just a half-length.

“We’ll do something with him in the middle, find him a prep somewhere, just as we did last year before going to Charles Town,” said Navarro. “Possibly on turf, but more likely on the dirt.”

War Story, who finished fifth in the inaugural Pegasus World Cup in 2017, used a fifth-place finish in the Grade 3 Fred Hooper as his final prep for last year’s Charles Town Classic.

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◗ A full card of $60,000 and $50,000 starter allowances are on tap for an unusual Saturday card, for which entries were drawn Wednesday. Every race honors the nickname of a former U.S. president or first lady in a tradition Gulfstream began several years ago for the extended Presidents Day weekend.

Racing is being held here Monday because of the Presidents Day holiday, with the Grade 2 Royal Delta as the feature. The only dark day during a 12-day span (Feb. 14-25) is Tuesday, Feb. 20.

◗ A modest 10-race card is on tap here Friday, with a $44,000 hybrid allowance (race 8) serving as the nominal feature. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern. The jackpot in the Rainbow 6 (races 5-10) stood at $616,554 when the six-day race week began Wednesday.

– additional reporting by Marty McGee