X Y Jet (Kantharos), winner of the G1 Golden Shaheen last March, died of a heart attack Wednesday morning, according to Jorge Navarro. He was eight years old. Navarro issued the statement via his website jorgenavarroracingstable.com.
“Since his arrival at my stable at the end of 2014, I immediately felt that connection with him, which remained until today and will surely remain with me until the day of my departure,” said Navarro.
Initially trained by Antonio Sano, the grey was gelded after joining Navarro in the winter of 2014 and subsequently kicked off a five-race winning skein, including the 2015 GIII Mr. Prospector S. and 2016 GIII Gulfstream Park Sprint. Runner up in the 2016 renewal of the Shaheen, the Florida bred spent most of the 2017 season on the sidelines before resuming with a trio of front-running scores in the Sunshine State, including a successful title defense in the 2017 Mr. Prospector S. Narrowly beaten once again in the following spring's Shaheen, he won his three of his next four starts, chief among them a comfortable victory in the 2019 Shaheen.
“He was more than a horse on my trained list, it was the one that took us through a wonderful and exciting roller coaster of emotions,” said Navarro. “He always fought against adversity and despite the injuries that affected him during his career, he always brought out that kind of champion he was.”
Off since, X Y Jet marked his return to the races in the Dec. 21 Mr. Prospector and tired late to be a well-beaten sixth.
“I owe X Y Jet so much, that I'm sure there are no words that can specify my thanks to his nobility and class, I do not say goodbye to a horse, I say goodbye to a friend that I will carry forever in my heart,” said Navarro. “Keep running fast to your next destination X Y Jet.”
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