Trip Notes for December 23: Mr. Prospector

Dec. 23

Gulfstream
Mr. Prospector (race 10)

COMMENT: When X Y Jet won this race in 2015, he romped by 9 1/4 lengths. This time, he returned after over 13 months on the bench due to knee surgery, and while this wasn’t the 2015 tour de force, X Y Jet still prevailed. Last seen finishing third in the Grade 3 De Francis Dash at Laurel in November 2016, the 5-year-old son of Kantharos bounced right out to the lead, took some pressure from First Growth while setting a solid pace, kept that foe at arm’s length to the top of the lane, added a bit to his advantage, but then had to hold on tight to prevail as First Growth came at him again late. Trainer Jorge Navarro said the Sunshine Millions Sprint here Jan. 20 could be next for X Y Jet, and if all goes well there, maybe another shot at the Group 1 Golden Shaheen in Dubai in March. X Y Jet was second in that race in 2016. First Growth, winner of the Claiming Crown Express here Dec. 2, came off the inside and moved to the outside of the eventual winner, looked in trouble when X Y Jet got away from him a bit into the lane, but kept to his task while being pushed wider by X Y Jet. Sonic Mule stalked in third but never was a threat to the top two.

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