Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
GULFSTREAM Gunnevera in need of rider for Dubai World Cup
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Attention jockey agents! Horse with more than $4 million in earnings seeking rider for $12 million race later this month. Send all inquiries to trainer Antonio Sano at Gulfstream Park West.
It is hard to imagine that finding a jockey for a horse with the résumé of 2018 Breeders’ Cup Classic runner-up Gunnevera for such a prestigious event as the upcoming Dubai World Cup would be much of an issue. But that’s the dilemma Sano finds himself trying to solve just 19 days out from the event.
Irad Ortiz Jr. has been aboard Gunnevera in each of his last two starts, including the Breeders’ Cup Classic, when the pair rallied to finish second just a length behind Acclerate. But Ortiz has opted to pass on a trip to Dubai on March 30 to fulfill his engagements here later the same day that will include the mount aboard Kentucky Derby hopeful Bourbon War in the $1 million Florida Derby.
“At this moment, I do not have a rider for Dubai and it’s a very big problem,” Sano said. “He is not an easy horse to ride, and Irad knew him and rode him very, very well.”
Ortiz had been Gunnevera’s regular work rider as well leading up to the Pegasus World Cup, but Sano said it’s been Jose Battista who has been aboard for the last several breezes, including six furlongs in 1:14.40 at Gulfstream Park West on Sunday.
“Yesterday was his serious work,” Sano said. “He’ll have one last work here next Tuesday morning before boarding the flight for Dubai. Hopefully we’ll have a commitment for a rider by then.”
Gunnevera, who has earned more than $4.3 million from just 20 lifetime starts, finished eighth, beaten a dozen lengths by Thunder Snow, under Joel Rosario in the 2018 World Cup after developing a foot bruise the week of the race.
“Last year was a disaster, everything went wrong before and during the race,” Sano said. “Hopefully, this year will be different.”
Gunnevera is one of two horses currently training at Gulfstream Park West who’ll be boarding the flight for Dubai next week. X Y Jet will start in the Golden Shaheen for the third time in the last four years. X Y Jet worked Saturday, breezing an easy half-mile in 49.80 seconds.
“Everything is a go for Dubai,” trainer Jorge Navarro said. “He’ll have his big work next week before he ships.”
X Y Jet has finished second in both previous appearances in the Golden Shaheen, including a frustrating head setback last year when run down in the closing strides by Mind Your Biscuits after opening a seemingly comfortable advantage at midstretch.
Sharp turf winners for Pletcher
Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out a pair of winners on Sunday’s card, the good-looking first-time starter Largent and Clint Maroon in the afternoon’s co-featured 11th event. Both victories came on the turf.
Largent is a 3-year-old son of Into Mischief who went wire to wire en route to an easy 4 1/4-length triumph under Luis Saez. Owned by Twin Creeks Racing Stables and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Largent was purchased for $460,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September yearling sale and is a half-brother to stakes winners Edgewater and Kona Blend.
Clint Maroon registered his second straight victory when defeating first-level optionalclaiming competition with Jose Ortiz aboard. A son of Oasis Dream, Clint Maroon is owned by St. Elias Stable.
◗ Saturday’s Grade 2, Inside Information is the lone stakes race on the schedule this weekend. The seven-furlong fixture for fillies and mares lured just 18 nominations, including Stormy Embrace, winner of the Grade 2 Princess Rooney here last summer; Grade 3 winners Teresa Z and Tequilita; and the popular Mexican-bred Jala Jala, runner-up here last month in the Grade 3 Royal Delta.
◗ There will be a carryover of $1,353,381 in the Rainbow 6 when racing resumes Wednesday. Post time will be 1:15 for the 11-race card. The richest race on the day is a $38,000 starter optional claimer for fillies and mares to be decided at one mile that goes as the penultimate leg of the Rainbow 6 and drew a field of just six starters. The stakes-placed Helen, making her first start since joining trainer Victor Barboza’s barn, will likely vie for favoritism along with Dana Grace and Hill Valley.
◗ Irad Ortiz Jr. will not ride here this week while serving a five-day suspension for careless riding meted out by the stewards earlier this month. Ortiz currently holds a 123-98 lead over Luis Saez in quest of the 2018-19 Championship meet riding title, much of that advantage picked up while the latter sat out two consecutive five-day suspensions of his own here last month.
◗ Apprentice jockey J.C. Diaz Jr. registered his first local win when guiding the 11-1 Braver Then We Are to victory in Sunday’s 10th race for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. Diaz, 18, is the son of Juan Carlos Diaz, who has won more than 4,800 races in his career, the majority of those victories coming in his native Puerto Rico.
The younger Diaz, who rides with a seven-pound allowance, won four races at Santa Anita before switching his tack to South Florida after racing shut down indefinitely out there last week.