Dettori getting Friday warm-up

International riding star Frankie Dettori figured he’d get accustomed to the Gulfstream Park racing surface prior to riding Toast of New York in the Pegasus World Cup on Saturday. Dettori is named on three horses, all trained by Dale Romans, in consecutive races Friday – Izzy the Warrior (race 8), Sportscaster (race 9), and Driver’s Girl (race 10).

The last time Dettori rode here was on Breeders’ Cup Day in November 1999, several years prior to the Gulfstream track and surrounding facilities undergoing a massive renovation. Dettori had three mounts that day, ending with a victory in the BC Turf on Daylami and giving him a chance to show off his famed flying dismount.

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Whereas Daylami was favored, Toast of New York will be a longshot when making just his second start in more than three years. Toast of New York, 7, won his comeback last month over a synthetic surface at Lingfield in England with Dettori aboard.

“The horse felt very rusty to me,” Dettori, 47, told Gulfstream publicity. “He was probably only 70 percent. He has built on that. I think we know his past performances are good enough for him to give a good account of himself. The thing that we don’t know: Is he still the same horse he was three years ago?”

Romans, who has Singing Bullet in the Pegasus, said he was “more than happy” to give Dettori a few warm-up rides.

“He’s one of the best in the world,” Romans said.