Go Go Shoot has quality others lack in Smile

MIAMI - For a Grade 2 sprint stakes and a designated Win and You're In race for the Breeders' Cup Sprint, Saturday's $350,000 Smile Sprint Handicap is missing just one important element - speed!

A field of 13 horses will assemble for the Smile, and few have the kind of blistering, run-them-off-their-feet kind of speed out of the gate that one might normally expect to find in a race of this nature. The closest to a pure front-running speedball could be Go Go Shoot, who may prove the one to catch in one of the most wide-open renewals of the Smile since it first joined the Summit of Speed program and was won by future Eclipse Award winner Orientate in 2002.

Go Go Shoot will make his second start since joining trainer Todd Pletcher's barn earlier this year. The Grade 2-stakes-placed gelding has made just one start in 2010, finishing third after contesting the pace in Monmouth Park's Decathlon on May 22.

"He got a little tired in his first start, but Monmouth isn't playing like the Monmouth of old and horses coming off layoffs and first-time starters seem to need a race this summer," Pletcher said. "This horse is somewhat one-dimensional and wants to go, and we're willing to let him do that."

Go Go Shoot tuned up for the Smile with a bullet 46.80-second half-mile drill at Belmont on Sunday.

"I wanted him sharp, but he went a touch quicker than I planned," Pletcher said. "But Game Face came off one of her fastest works ever when coming down here for the Princess Rooney last year and she won, so maybe this was a good sign."

Go Go Shoot could face an early challenge for the lead from the locally based pair of Big Drama and Rusty Charlie or fellow New York invader Taqarub.

Big Drama heads a strong team of south Florida-based runners in the Smile that also includes the multiple Grade 3 winner Mambo Meister. Like Go Go Shoot, Big Drama has had just one start this year, tuning up for the Smile with an easy 3 3/4-length victory in the Ponche Handicap on June 12. Big Drama will certainly hold the home-court advantage, having won five of his six starts at Calder.

Taqarub has won his last two starts, including the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint Handicap on May 15 when he led throughout to post a one-length decision over Roaring Lion.

Trainer Michael Trombetta will be looking for some help with the pace for his duo of Congressional Page and Not for Silver. Congressional Page rallied from near the rear of the pack to win the Decathlon. Not for Silver is seeking his first victory since roaring from off a suicidal pace to capture the Grade 2 Carry Back on the 2009 Summit of Speed card.