Trio give Navarro strong hand in Claiming Crown Jewel

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Even trainer Jorge Navarro admitted to being a bit surprised after his 16-1 Flowers for Lisa overcame the disadvantage of breaking from the outside, in post position 12, to upset the 2017 Claiming Crown Jewel.

But nobody will be the least surprised if Navarro comes right back and wins the $200,000 Jewel again on Saturday considering the strong hand he wields in the race. He will send out a trio that not only includes the defending champion but also the seemingly unbeatable Aztec Sense and Zulu.

The 1 1/8-mile Jewel is the richest of nine Claiming Crown races on Saturday’s opening-day program of the 2018-19 Gulfstream Park Championship meeting. Post time is 11:50 a.m. Eastern. There will be guaranteed pools of $200,000 in the late pick four and late pick five, and $50,000 in the Rainbow 6.

Flowers for Lisa used his abundant speed to overcome the poor post in the Jewel, quickly sprinting clear before entering the clubhouse turn and maintaining that advantage to register a 1 1/2-length decision under jockey Paco Lopez. Haltered for a bargain $20,000 by Navarro at Monmouth Park during summer 2017, Flowers for Lisa has registered three wins in seven starts in 2018.

In his last start he finished fourth in the Grade 3 Lukas Classic Sept. 29 at Churchill Downs, beaten 6 1/2 legnths by winner Mind Your Biscuits.

“He ran a couple of phenomenal races this summer at Saratoga, so we tried him against graded stakes company to see just what kind of horse we had, and I thought he ran a huge race in Kentucky,” said Navarro, who will reunite Flowers for Lisa with Lopez in the Jewel.

Aztec Sense has proven an even bigger success story since Navarro claimed him for $12,500 in August 2017 at Parx. Aztec Sense has won nine of his last 10 starts over the past 15 months. The lone setback during the streak was a fourth-place finish in the seven-furlong Rapid Transit on the 2017 Claiming Crown card.

“He got a bad start in the Rapid Transit, which cost him the race, otherwise he’s been absolutely perfect,” Navarro said. “He’s going to get beat one of these days, and if there’s anybody in this field who can beat him, it’s probably one of my other two.”

Zulu has hit the board in both starts since being claimed by Navarro for $20,000 in June at Churchill Downs.

“He’s trained really well for this race, and it should set up for him nicely with Flowers for Lisa going to the lead and Aztec sitting just off the pace,” Navarro said. “I expect Zulu to be finishing strongly at the end.”

Rich Daddy, who split two decisions with Flowers for Lisa last year, returns to his favorite track, having registered nine of his 13 victories at Gulfstream Park. He finished second in the 2017 Claiming Crown Iron Horse.

“We’re trying the Jewel this time because I think the extra sixteenth of a mile is a big factor for him,” trainer Eddie Kenneally said.

Other key contenders in the Jewel include the Robertino Diodoro-trained duo of St. Louie Guy and Chris and Dave, as well as the Mike Maker-trained pair of Race Me Home and Bad Student.