'It's been a thrill'; Veteran Delta Bluesman going strong at 8

Michelle Crawford and Albert Crawford’s 8-year-old gelding Delta Bluesman, whose 13 career victories include the 2016 Smile Sprint (G2) at Gulfstream Park, is a narrow 3-1 program favorite for his return to South Florida in Thursday’s featured eighth race at Gulfstream Park West.

The $47,000 optional claimer for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs attracted a field of 10. Delta Bluesman, who will break from Post 2 with Emisael Jaramillo aboard, is one of six horses running for a $25,000 tag.

Trainer Jorge Navarro claimed Delta Bluesman for $30,000 out of an Oct. 19, 2014, win at Gulfstream West and together they have put together an 11-7-8 record from 36 starts, winning four stakes and placing in nine others, and finishing fifth in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).

For his career, Florida-bred Delta Bluesman has $727,058 in purse earnings from 59 starts.

“He’s going to be 9. It’s been a thrill having him. He’s gone through every condition. I spoke to the owners about retirement but the horse still seems like he wants to do it,” Navarro said. “Once you go through a condition with a horse like that you want to spot him the right way. The horse is doing good. He’s happy to be back in South Florida.

“I am having a great time having him in the barn. He’s a pleasure to have around,” he added. “I don’t think he’s the horse that he was back then, but he still wants to do it and I don’t think he’s ready to be retired. I don’t think he’d enjoy being retired. He’s happy.”

Delta Bluesman has raced just three times since his front-running seven-length triumph in the 4 ½-furlong Caixa Eletronica Stakes April 21 at Charles Town. Most recently he was fifth in a second-level optional claimer going 6 ½ furlongs Sept. 29 at Belmont Park.

His competition Thursday includes Musical Heart and Mr. Kisses, who ran 1-3, respectively, in an optional claimer Sunday at Gulfstream West; and multiple stakes-placed Aequor, unraced since May 20 and making his first start for trainer Oscar Gonzalez, and Storming My Way.

Delta Bluesman will not be the oldest horse Navarro saddles Thursday. He also has 9-year-old Harlan’s Holiday gelding Sinatra set to return for the first time in nearly three months in Race 3, a 7 ½-furlong turf claimer for 3-year-olds and up. With 11 wins and a $345,287 bankroll from 46 starts, Sinatra drew Post 5 of 12 with jockey Manoel Cruz.

“You don’t see horses like that anymore. I have four 9-year-olds in my barn. I have a bunch of senior citizens,” Navarro said. “It’s very hard to keep horses intact going on 9. I enjoy those kinds of horses. The reason I hold on to those horses is because they’ve been through a lot and hopefully they stay around.”

Navarro, a 43-year-old native of Panama, is nearing the personal milestone of 1,000 career victories, sitting at 960 with one horse entered Wednesday at Gulfstream West. For the past three winters, Navarro – already having won a career-high 182 races this year – has finished second to 15-time consecutive titlist Todd Pletcher during Gulfstream Park’s Championship Meet, winning 36 races last winter.

“It means a lot. Coming up in the business, I looked at my stepfather’s record and my brother’s record and I pushed myself to be the best. I’m very hard on myself,” Navarro said. “I’ve won [182] races this year and what else can I ask? I can’t ask for more. It’s been fun. My workers, my owners, my vets – it’s a team. Everybody is part of it. Hopefully we can make 2,000. It will be amazing if we do it here in Florida. That’s home for me.”