XYJet wins Smile Sprint

Stormy Embrace gets spot in Breeders’ Cup

HALLANDALE BEACH — X Y Jet took care of business, while 15-1 long shot Stormy Embrace earned an automatic spot in the Breeders’ Cup in the two co-feature races on Saturday’s Summit of Speed at Gulfstream Park.

In the $250,000 GIII Smile Sprint Stakes, X Y Jet led at every call and was never threatened, capturing the 6-furlong race in 1:09.61. X Y Jet took command from the outset, breaking from the outside post sharply as jockey Emisael Jaramillo put him right on the rail where he dispatched his seven rivals.

He finished 2 1⁄4 lengths up on Reason to Soar, who placed sixth after an objection was filed. Sweetontheladies was moved up to second with Petrov third.

The scenario was similar in the $250,000 GII Princess Rooney Stakes, however it was long shot Stormy Embrace who gained control of the race in the far turn and drew off to a six-length win. She covered the 7-furlong race in 1:21.81. Rich Mommy and favorite My Miss Tapit finished in order behind.

The win was the third in a row for Stormy Embrace and her second consecutive at Gulfstream.

“She loves the Gulfstream track, and the best thing about her is she’s kind of versatile,” trainer Kathleen O’Connell said. “She can run off the pace or she can run up front.”

With the win, Stormy Embrace earns the opportunity to run in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs. O’Connell said securing the guaranteed spot will alter the filly’s race plan going forward.

For X Y Jet, the plan all along was to point to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Though the Smile did not carry an automatic entry, trainer Jorge Navarro said that racing at

Gulfstream, where X Y Jet has won six stakes in a row, was important in getting him ready for the Sprint.

“I want to accomplish something in the Breeders’ Cup,” Navarro said. “I want to call him a Breeders’ Cup winner. That is what we are doing right now.”

Navarro added that the plan is to have X Y Jet make one more start before the Breeders’ Cup.

There were three other stakes races, each paying a purse of $75,000, on the Summit of Speed card. Each was won convincingly by heavy post-time favorites.

In the Azalea Stakes, Alter Moon raced in company to the outside of Starcloud in the far turn, then dispatched her rival in the stretch to win the 7-furlong affair by five lengths in 1:23.35.

Jockey Edgard Zayas, who piloted Alter Moon to the win, backed that up riding Pay Any Price to a 1

1⁄4-length win in the Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint. Pay Any Price led at every call and covered the 5-furlongs in 58.29 seconds.

Similarly, War Giant led from gate to wire to capture the Carry Back Stakes by 5

3⁄4 lengths. His winning time in the 7-furlong race was 1:22.85.

Saturday also marked the end of Gulfstream’s spring meet with a mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6. Each winning ticket paid out $196,953.84 on a 20 cent bet.

Three trainers, Victor Barboza Jr, Todd Pletcher and Oscar Gonzalez, shared the title of meet leader with 17 wins apiece. Tyler Gaffalione took the rider’s title with 63 wins and Arindel claimed the owner’s title with 14 victories.