Robusto making dirt sprint debut

Robusto will try sprinting on the main track for the first time when he runs in a $16,000 optional-claiming race Saturday at Gulfstream Park West.

The seven-furlong dash with first-level allowance conditions drew 11 horses, and goes as race 8 on a 10-race card that begins at 1:15 p.m. Eastern.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Robusto couldn’t have been more impressive winning a maiden special weight race at Gulfstream Park on Sept. 29. Breaking sharply from the rail with Tyler Gaffalione aboard, he was forced to steady on the first turn. When Gaffalione got him off the rail and into the clear going down the backstretch, Robusto blew his overmatched opponents away, winning the 1 1/16-mile race by 13 lengths. The margin could have been a lot more, but Gaffalione took a big hold of the 3-year-old Kentucky-bred in midstretch.

Robusto was racing on dirt and wearing blinkers for the first time in his five-race career. It wasn’t surprising he thrived running over the wet surface. His dam, Smart Surprise, earned her career-best 108 Beyer Speed Figure when she won the $60,000 Chou Croute on a sloppy track at the Fair Grounds in 2008.

“A long race didn’t fill, but since he’s doing so well we thought we would try the cutback in distance,” Pletcher said. “The blinkers seemed to have helped.”

There is some rain in the forecast, so Robusto could get his track. He will break from post 3 with Gaffalione riding again.

KEY CONTENDERS

Robusto, by Bernardini
Last 3 Beyers: 75-73-72

◗ He hasn’t run a bad race in his short career and he should be fine with the cutback in distance. His only sibling to race, Moonlit Promise, won going seven furlongs as well as at 6 1/2 furlongs in the $107,600 Sweet Briar Too at Woodbine on Sept. 17.

Fearless Dragon, by Speightstown
Last 3 Beyers: 80-68-78

◗ Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., he has a solid 2-1-2 record from 7 starts at the distance.

Express Jet, by Kantharos
Last 3 Beyers: 75-74-76

◗ A five-time winner trained by Bernardo Campos, the 5-year-old Florida-bred is coming off a third-place finish going six furlongs for this condition at Gulfstream on Sept. 24.

◗ He has two wins and a runner-up finish in three starts over the Gulfstream Park West surface.