The Robb is Mr. Buff's for the taking

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – It’s always nice to be home with family and friends for the holidays, and Mr. Buff figures to be right at home with his New York-bred friends on Saturday when he heads a field of six entered for the $100,000 Alex M. Robb Stakes at Aqueduct.

Mr. Buff has won four of the last five New York-bred stakes in which he’s run, a streak that began in this race last year when he beat Twisted Tom by a nose. Twisted Tom and Dynamax Prime, who has finished second to Mr. Buff three times in statebred stakes, head the competition Saturday.

Mr. Buff is looking to bounce back from a 10th-place finish in the Grade 1 Clark on Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs. In that race, he set a strong early pace and faded in the final quarter-mile under Junior Alvarado.

“He went too fast early,” John Kimmel, who trains Mr. Buff, for Chester and Mary Broman said. “He’s shown that he doesn’t have to have the lead, but if he’s on the lead and he’s comfortable without being used up he’s a dangerous horse.”

Mr. Buff is particularly dangerous going 1 1/8 miles around two turns at Aqueduct. He won four consecutive such races from Nov. 14, 2018, through Jan. 26, including victories in the Alex Robb and the Jazil where he beat the millionaire earner Sunny Ridge.

“If he doesn’t run up to par it might tell you he needs a little break,” Kimmel said. “He’s been going at it for some time. He’s not giving us any indications that is the case, but the proof is in the doing.”

Mr. Buff will carry high weight of 125 pounds and will break from post 5 under Alvarado. The only other speed in the race looks to be Gio d’Oro, who breaks from the rail under Jose Lezcano.

Dynamax Prime was second to Mr. Buff in the Saginaw at Belmont in June, the Evan Shipman at Saratoga in August, and the Empire Classic at Belmont in October. He is 0 for 7 at Aqueduct in his career.

Twisted Tom broke a 12-race losing streak when he won a statebred optional claimer when offered for $40,000 going 1 1/8 miles over the main track here Dec. 8. His trainer, A.C. Avila has won with 5 of his last 10 starters since racing moved to Aqueduct in November.

Twisted Tom figures to just sit back and make one late run under Reylu Gutierrez, who was aboard for his most recent victory.

“You can’t rush him,” Avila said. “I told Reylu, let him grab the bit by himself. Too bad you got Kimmel’s horse in there; that horse is a monster.”

Big Gemmy has won 5 of 7 starts since he was transferred to Linda Rice and began facing mostly statebred competition. He will be trying 1 1/8 miles for the first time.

Longshot Fleet Irish completes the field.

The Robb goes as race 4 on a nine-race card that begins at 12:30 p.m. and kicks off five consecutive days of racing through Jan. 1.