X Y Jet on to Dubai after Pelican romp

X Y Jet stamped his ticket to Dubai in winning the $100,000 Pelican Stakes on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs.

Trainer Jorge Navarro said by phone Saturday night before returning to the Miami area that X Y Jet came out of his seven-length victory in the six-furlong Pelican in perfect shape and now will point toward the $2 million Golden Shaheen on March 31.

“You can’t ever take anything for granted,” Navarro said. “People need to remember these horses are athletes. The smallest thing can throw you off, especially a horse like this that’s had three knee surgeries. But we are very lucky, very thankful.”

X Y Jet received a Beyer Speed Figure of 98 for his Pelican victory.

The Pelican and the $50,000 Minaret, won by Just Be Kind for owner-trainer Reade Baker, were the last stakes on the local schedule before the March 10 Festival Day card highlighted by the Tampa Bay Derby.

The Tampa Bay Derby will be considered for Justaholic after the colt notched his second straight victory by outrunning a pair of Todd Pletcher trainees, Hazit and Earth, and earning an 81 Beyer in a first-level allowance Sunday at seven furlongs.

“We really like this colt,” said Keith Nations, who trains Justaholic for Lucky Man Racing LLC. “We always thought he’d be a sprinter because he’s so quick, but the way he finished today, I don’t think two turns will be a problem.”

Flameaway and Vino Rosso, the one-three finishers in the Feb. 10 Sam F. Davis Stakes, are among the top prospects for the 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay Derby, along with Untamed Domain for Graham Motion and at least one of Dale Romans’s numerous Kentucky Derby hopefuls.