Already represented by an upset winner on the undercard courtesy of Catalina Red (Munnings)'s 14-1 tally in the GII Churchill Downs S., trainer Jorge Navarro was back at it with another shocker here.
The streaking Sharp Azteca, winner of his last two attempts at Gulfstream Park, forced the issue from the outside through sharp early fractions of :22.05 and :44.09. Making his stakes debut in this one, the dark bay inhaled the leader approaching the far turn and ran them off their feet in the stretch to win in style.
Heavily favored American Freedom (Pulpit), a sharp debut winner in the slop for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert at Santa Anita Apr. 9, never factored while sixth.
A debut second behind 'TDN Rising Star' Zulu (Bernardini) Dec. 5, Sharp Azteca tired to finish a disappointing fifth after dueling as the 3-5 chalk in his next attempt in Hallandale Jan. 16. The dark bay stretched to a mile with aplomb in his next two there, graduating by four lengths Feb. 20 and following with a 7 1/2-length romp versus $75,000 optional claimers most recently Apr. 3.
“I thought this horse was the bet of the day,” Navarro said. “I think this horse is one of the best 3-year-olds in the nation. The horse had some issues and we gave him some time off. We took a chance in here. He worked in :58 [3/5 at Churchill] last week and the way he did it was just amazing. This horse will run all day.”
He concluded, “Once I get home, everything will hit.”
The winning owners Gelfenstein Farm (Click here for a recent feature) also campaign the sidelined fleet sprinter X Y Jet (Kantharos), a game runner-up in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan.
The unraced mare So Sharp (Saint Liam), a half-sister to the dam of last year's GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Firing Line (Line of David) and GII Dwyer S. hero Mint Lane (Maria's Mon), has also produced a 2-year-old colt by Include, a yearling colt by Redding Colliery and had a foal colt by Alpha this year.
Saturday, Churchill Downs
PAT DAY MILE S.-GIII, $250,000, CD, 5-7, 3yo, 1m, 1:34.37, ft.
1–#@SHARP AZTECA, 118, c, 3, by Freud
1st Dam: So Sharp, by Saint Liam
2nd Dam: Sister Girl, by Conquistador Cielo
3rd Dam: Scipio, by Danzig
($35,000 Ylg '14 OBSAUG; $220,000 2yo '15 OBSAPR).O-Gelfenstein Farm; B-Cloyce C. Clark (KY); T-Jorge Navarro;J-Edgard J. Zayas. $141,050. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0,$196,250.[bullet ad=”nick-de-meric-consigned-by-nick-de-meric”][bullet ad=”selectsales-shell”]2–Forevamo, 118, c, 3, Uncle Mo–Candlelightdinner, by SlewGin Fizz. ($320,000 2yo '15 OBSAPR). O-Brittlyn Stables;B-Ocala Stud (FL); T-Albert M. Stall, Jr. $45,500.
3–Star Hill, 118, c, 3, Elusive Quality–Padmore, by FrenchDeputy. O/B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-George R. Arnold, II.$22,750.[bullet ad=”stonestreet-trainingalum”]Margins: 2HF, 2, HF. Odds: 13.10, 8.50, 14.70.
Also Ran: Fellowship, Lookin for a Kiss, American Freedom, Unbridled Outlaw, American Dubai, Discreetness, Ralis, Gray Sky, Imperial Hint, Cocked and Loaded, Torrontes. Click for the Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree, Equibase.com chart or TJCIS PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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