War Story ready to run in Whitney

War Story has settled in at Saratoga nicely and will be ready to run in Saturday's Grade 1, $1.2 million Whitney, trainer Jorge Navarro said.

"He's been here since Wednesday afternoon and from what I hear from the assistant and the groom, he loves it there," Navarro said by phone Friday morning. "He likes the cool weather over there. You can't complain about the weather."

War Story, owned by Loooch Racing Stables, Glenn Ellis and Imaginary Stables, registered his first career graded stakes victory last out, winning the Grade 2 Brooklyn Invitational by 2 ½ lengths on Belmont Stakes Day, June 10. The 5-year-old Northern Afleet gelding will be looking for his first career Grade 1 on-the-board finish in his seventh start.

Navarro took over training duties before the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup on January 28, becoming the ninth trainer in War Story's career. In four starts for Navarro, War Story has not posted a Beyer Speed Figure below 90, including a 99 for a fifth-place effort in the Pegasus, won by Arrogate, and a 102 in the Brooklyn.

Navarro said the biggest change in eight months is War Story's temperament.

"He's come around; he was more of a grouch where if you pet him, he wanted to kick you and bite you," Navarro said. "Now, he's becoming a favorite in the barn.

"My friend [and fellow trainer] Chad Summers walked him to the track on Thursday morning and said he was pretty quiet walking to the track but as soon as he touched the dirt, man, he was on his toes. I said 'that's good to hear.'"

War Story drew the rail in the seven-horse Whitney field and is the morning-line third choice at 6-1, behind only 3-1 Keen Ice and 4-5 favorite Gun Runner.

"There's no doubt you have to respect Gun Runner, he's one of the best horses on the East Coast. [Trainer] Steve Asmussen has done an amazing job with that horse," Navarro said. "But if the rain comes and he doesn't like it, we're going to take advantage of it, because my little horse is doing really good."

Newly minted Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, who rode War Story to the Brooklyn win, will have the return call. Castellano was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame on Friday.

Castellano also rode the Navarro-trained El Deal to an eight-length win in the Grade 1 Vanderbilt Handicap last week. Like War Story, Navarro also took over the training duties for El Deal earlier this year, and the 5-year-old son of Munnings has won three starts in a row since Navarro had owners Albert and Michelle Crawford buy him privately earlier this year, including a win in a starter handicap at Charles Town and a victory in the Decathlon on June 11 at Monmouth Park.

"He's excellent," Navarro said about his return from the Vanderbilt. "He came back real tired the following day. It took a toll on the horse, but he's doing great now. I can't wait to see what's next."

Navarro said El Deal is targeting the Grade 1, $350,000 Vosburgh at six furlongs on September 30 at Belmont Park.

Navarro said X Y Jet is in light training at Monmouth Park. Unraced since a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Francis Memorial Dash in November at Laurel Park, Navarro said the 5-year-old gelding will dictate if he is ready to return to racing in the fall.

Owned by Rockingham Ranch and Gelfenstein Farm, X Y Jet was previously sidelined for several months because of knee surgery after winning the 2016 Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship and finishing second in the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan Racecourse.

"I'm going to take my time with him. We've been jogging him for a month. We're going to baby him," Navarro said. "I told the owners, the last two years, it's been about you guys. This time, it's about him. He's going to tell me when he's ready to gallop. He's going to tell me when he's ready to work. If he makes it, he makes it. If not, we'll find him a good home. But he's not ready to be a pet yet."