Weekend Takeaways: Almond Eye's going where Winx didn't

The sun is setting on Australian star Winx's career, and we're long past since wondering whether she'll leave her home turf for the international stage. Almond Eye, however, is type of horse poised to please the fans who want to see the world's best match up.

If there were any doubts about her talent, the 4-year-old daughter of Lord Kanaloa put them to rest Saturday when she lulled a field of 12 to sleep in the Group 1, $6 million Dubai Turf, notching her fifth straight victory at the top level.

It wasn’t that the Japanese filly gave us an evergreen moment in Dubai.  She didn't defy logic like Arrogate in his last-to-first jaw-dropper two years ago. What was so impressive about Almond Eye was the fact that the 4-5 favorite did her job and did it with precision, turning on another gear in the final furlong that no turf horse in Dubai — or maybe anywhere else in the world — could have emulated that day.

“When you have the right horse and you have confidence in your horse, you can go out confident no matter what happens - and she's the right horse,” said jockey Christophe Lemaire after a winning 1:46.78 aboard the superstar product of Silk Racing Co. LTD.

“Hopefully, there are some big victories on the horizon for her,” the jockey continued.

The world traveler Almond Eye could very well go on to a campaign that positions her for a try at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, giving us a triple-headed monster that will include rivals Enable and Sea Of Class, who both threw a stoic battle at one another, with Enable narrowly taking the wire on a memorable day at Longchamp last October.

Dubbed the ‘angel off track, devil on track,’ Almond Eye’s potential addition to the Arc could easily turn that race into the must-watch race of the year.

Redemption flight for X Y Jet

Slightly overshadowed by that Japanese filly, as well as Thunder Snow and Gronkowski's duel in the Dubai World Cup, X Y Jet certainly put together one hell of a charge on Saturday in Meydan. The 7-year-old gelding shook a dry spell and blazed to a wire-to-wire victory in the Dubai Golden Shaheen, finally hurling the second-place monkey clinging to his saddlecloth.

The son of Kantharos lost twice in the race in previous years, including a setback to Mind Your Biscuits in 2018.

“This is so special.  What a horse he is,” said jockey Emisael Jaramillo, who cruised to a 1:10.75 win, clearing Matera Sky by 1 1/2 lengths. 

Even more genuine than X Y Jets winning jaunt was the connections of the journey-horse of Rockingham Ranch, who remained aghast after the race.

“I can’t believe he did it,” said owner Brian Trump in awe. “Defeat in the past has made this victory that much sweeter.  Today, it was his time.”

“I don’t know what I’m feeling right now. I guess it will hit me later on,” said the emotional trainer Jorge Navarro. “They knocked him and they forget he lost twice here by a nose.  But he did it [Saturday].  He won the race and he was best against the best horses.”

Once the connections of X Y Jet land from the clouds of redemption, the next step will be plotting a fitting campaign for the fickle sprinter, who has overcome a number of injuries and ailments to remain a top-class sprinter.

What we didn't see Saturday was his clash with Rockingham Ranch's other top sprinter, Roy H, who came down with a sore foot before the Dubai Golden Shaheen. Hopefully, they're both well for the Breeders' Cup.

Big season ahead for Servis

It wasn't an ideal start to the season for Firenze Fire, the 4-year-old colt who bobbled leaving the gate and finished third in Tampa Bay Downs' Zaxby's Sprint on Sunday in his season debut. But that seemed about all that went wrong over the weekend for trainer Jason Servis.

Firenze Fire sent the brother of John Servis, of Smarty Jones fame, to the Kentucky Derby for the first time last season, of course.

He ran against the best 3-year-olds in the country last year, and it’s going to be interesting to see what kind of 4-year-old season he has,” said Servis of his star product.  “He looked great when I got him back, and my gut feeling is he’s going to be a real nice 4 and 5-year-old,” 

A day prior — and 280 miles south — Servis watched rags-to-riches trainee Maximum Security secure him a second straight trip to Churchill Downs by winning the Florida Derby.

The homebred son of New Year’s Day — who stayed with Servis after going unclaimed for $16,000 in a Gulfstream Park maiden race on Dec. 20 — toppled a Florida Derby field that included Kentucky Derby candidates Code of Honor and Hidden Scroll.

It’s more than just a 1-2 punch for Servis. 

A barn with a cavalcade of stars for Servis will be put to the test soon, with Final Jeopardy probable for Saturday's Wood Memorial, Call Paul going in the Bay Shore and World of Trouble, who is fresh off a $150,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint Stakes victory in January, pointing for the Carter.

Servis, who already cleared more than $2.3 million on 42 wins in 117 starts this year, will be looking to topple his record-best campaign in 2018, when the trainer topped $7.5 million in purse earnings on 143 wins. 

The future is burning bright for Servis’ barn that seemed to start with a small Firenze Fire.