X Y Jet looks to burnish credentials for Dubai invite

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – After winning his last two starts by a combined 13 1/2 lengths, including the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector, X Y Jet is looking for new worlds to conquer. In fact, his connections would love to send him halfway across the world for his next major test, the Dubai Golden Shaheen on March 26 on the Dubai World Cup card.

Carlos Morales, stable manager for Ivan Rodriguez Gelfenstein’s Gelfenstein Farm, said they nominated X Y Jet to the Golden Shaheen but have yet to receive an invitation to the race.

“The people in Dubai said that because he’s only got one graded stakes win – the Mr. Prospector – he hasn’t done enough yet to qualify for the race, and this is killing us right now,” Morales said. “Especially since we believe he is one of the top two or three sprinters in this country, especially with the champion [Runhappy] not in training at the moment.”

Morales said trainer Jorge Navarro will run X Y Jet in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint on Feb. 27, hoping to put another graded win on his horse’s résumé prior to the Golden Shaheen.

“This horse is on top of his game right now, and we believe he would be a very strong horse in the field and a good representative for the U.S.,” Morales said. “And who doesn’t want to go to Dubai to prove your horse against the best in the world? Right now, we have two major goals for X Y Jet this year, the Golden Shaheen and the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.”