By Alan Carasso
In the 15 previous renewals of the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen over conventional dirt tracks, U.S.-based sprinters have dominated, winning 10 of those, including the victory of Secret Circle (Eddington) last March. Rockingham Ranch and Gelfenstein Farm's X Y Jet (Kantharos) will look to add to that total as the betting favorite in an interesting field of 10.
A maiden winner in six outings for trainer Antonio Sano, the Florida-bred has blossomed really and truly for Jorge Navarro. Narrowly defeated in the 2015 GII Swale S., the gray gelding has proved too fleet for his rivals in putting together a five-race winning streak going back to last August. Those include a 9 1/4-length tour-de-force in the GIII Mr. Prospector S. Dec. 19, a 4 1/4-length pummeling of Wildcat Red (D'wildcat) in the restricted Sunshine Florida Millions Sprint Jan. 16 and a 1 1/4-length tally in the GIII Gulfstream Park Sprint S. Feb. 27 in which he mustered following a slow dispatch and got home 1 1/4 lengths to the good. The 6 1/2-furlong distance of the latter event is arguably slightly beyond his best, but he's back at his favored trip for the Shaheen and Navarro is relishing the moment.
“This is a chance of a lifetime,” Navarro reported. “I wish all of my good horse friends back home have the opportunity to come here. This is a beautiful, first-class facility and the people have been very welcoming and great to work with. This is horse racing at its best. “When it came to running in Dubai I said to myself, 'why not?' All the top sprinters in America are on vacation, so why not take a chance?'”
Though it's hard to envision a scenario–barring an incident at the gates–that does not have X Y Jet at the head of affairs soon after the start, there does appear to be other speed signed on that could force the favorite to work hard on the lead. Muarrab (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}} chased Hong Kong's Rich Tapestry (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) around the track in the G3 Al Shindagha Sprint Feb. 11, but it proved an effort in futility, as the GI Santa Anita Sprint Championship winner led throughout to score by 1 1/2 lengths. The Shadwell runner was drawn on the fence for the G3 Mahab al Shimaal Mar. 5 and took the race to Rich Tapestry on that occasion, riding the prevailing track bias to best Kifaah (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) by 5 1/2 lengths, with Rich Tapestry a spent third. Muarrab is likely to sit up outside of X Y Jet, while it would seem to be in Rich Tapestry's best interest to let some of the speed go and try to make a run similar to the one he made at Santa Anita in 2014.
Of a remarkable four Hong Kong-based horses set to take in the Shaheen, Super Jockey (NZ) (Sandtrap) looms the most dangerous. A surprising second to Secret Circle and ahead of Rich Tapestry last year, the Kiwi-bred emerges from the same Class 1 handicap as Not Listenin'tome Mar. 6. Over a distance and a surface that are clearly not his best, the 8-year-old traveled up sweetly into the final furlong and led between calls only to be tagged on the wire. Joao Moreira should be able to settle Super Jockey behind the pace and will hope to reel them in late.
“I rode him leading up to last year's race when he was beaten a head by a Breeders' Cup winner [Secret Circle] in second and I'd say he is at least as well this time around,” commented Bev Millard, wife of trainer Tony Millard. “He has also been running in better races at home on the turf and his rating is at its highest.”
A five-time winner in 14 starts for trainer Barclay Tagg, Confrontation (War Pass) was runner-up no fewer than three times in Grade III company, including a 3 3/4-length defeat at the hands of now-retired 'TDN Rising Star' Tonalist (Tapit) in last year's GIII Westchester S. at Belmont Park. The dark bay filled the same spot behind fellow Rising Star Liam's Map (Unbridled's Song) in a June 19 Belmont allowance, was scooped up by these connections and outfinished One Man Band (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) to win the G3 Firebreak S. Feb. 4. Instead of taking the next logical step into the G2 Godolphin Mile, Confrontation cuts back to this sprint distance, at which he has posted three wins from four starts.
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