X Y Jet nears stakes-record time to win Pelican

Getting an ideal prep for his next major target, X Y Jet rolled to an easy seven-length victory Saturday in the $100,000 Pelican Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, leading throughout in nearly stakes-record time.

Trainer Jorge Navarro was at the Oldsmar, Fla., track from his Miami-area base for the Pelican, which he planned as a prep for the $2 million Golden Shaheen on March 31 at Meydan in Dubai.

“I just left him at the barn and he looks great,” Navarro said by phone nearly two hours afterward. “Everything came out good. My biggest worry was, did I make the right call and take a chance on missing Dubai? I feel like we did the right thing. He’s clean and it’s the best he’s ever trained.”

X Y Jet, a 6-year-old Kantharos gelding, got two right-handed cracks of the whip from jockey Emisael Jaramillo before being eased up with about 70 yards left in the six-furlong race. He paid $2.80 as a heavy favorite in a field of seven older horses. The winning time of 1:09.17 was just .03 seconds off the record for the Pelican, which now has been run 34 times. Splits were 21.81, 44.41, and 56.41.

Jaguar Poz finished second, followed by Divine Ambition and Flashy Kyem.

Owned by Rockingham Ranch and Gelfenstein Farms, the gray Florida-bred is based at Gulfstream Park West. He earned $70,000, including Florida-bred bonuses, bringing his career bankroll to $990,813.

In March 2016, as a 4-year-old, X Y Jet finished second by a neck with Jaramillo aboard in the Golden Shaheen. He now is 3 for 3 since returning from a third knee surgery that caused him to be unraced from Nov. 2016 to Dec. 2017.

The $2 exacta (4-6) paid $19.20, the $1 trifecta (4-6-3) returned $69.20, and the 10-cent superfecta (4-6-3-2) was worth $22.95.

Two races later, in the female counterpart to the Pelican, the 37th running of the $50,000 Minaret Stakes, Jaramillo also emerged the winning rider, albeit in far different style.

Just Be Kind ($19.80), returning from a 14-week layoff for owner-trainer Reade Baker, rallied from far back to overtake front-running Grand Prix for a one-length victory in 1:10.59 in the six-furlong Minaret. Stormy Embrace rallied mildly to be third in a field of 11 fillies and mares.

Just Be Kind, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Sky Mesa, now has won four of 11 career starts. She won the Ontario Debutante as a 2-year-old as her most notable prior triumph.

The $2 exacta (11-10) paid $137.80, the $1 trifecta (11-10-3) returned $255.90, and the 10-cent superfecta (11-10-3-8) was worth $104.50.