Einstein to make synthetic debut in Big 'Cap

Einstein will try the Pro-Ride for the first time in the Big 'Cap (Ed Van Meter/Horsephotos.com)

With Grade 1 wins on turf and Grade 1 placings on dirt, the next challenge

for EINSTEIN (Brz) (Spend a Buck) will be a synthetic surface. After working

over Gulfstream Park's fast main track Sunday morning, he will get that chance

in the $1 million Santa Anita H. (G1) on March 7.

The seven-year-old horse, who is coming off a third-place effort in the

January 31 Donn H. (G1), worked a co-bullet five furlongs in 1:00 3/5 under

jockey Julien Leparoux. It was his first work since the Donn, where he overcame

a wide post to finish 2 1/4 lengths behind winner Albertus Maximus (Albert the

Great).

"He was super and really ready to work today," trainer Helen Pitts-Blasi

said. "His last race took a lot out of him, but he's come out of it good and

Julien said that he was great today."

Of Einstein's 23 career races, six wins have come in 16 grass starts,

including two wins in the Gulfstream Park Turf (G1) in 2006 and 2008. He has

also won three times in seven dirt races, most notably the November 28 Clark H.

(G2) at Churchill Downs to round out his 2008 campaign. Four of his overall nine

career victories have come on off tracks.

Now he gets to try Santa Anita's Pro-Ride artificial surface, and Pitts-Blasi

is looking forward to the challenge.

"It should be very interesting because (people say) that grass horses should

like it," she said. "I've got a horse that is probably more of a grass horse

than a dirt horse, but he does deal with both very well. A million dollars is

enough of a reason to find out."

Einstein will leave Wednesday from West Palm Beach Airport and spend 10 days

in Arcadia, California. Pitts-Blasi plans on working the horse over the surface

once before the 1 1/4-mile test.