Firenze Fire Kicks Off 2020 with General George Win
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Photo: Jerry Dzierwinski / Maryland Jockey Club
Firenze Fire wins the General George Stakes at Laurel Park
Mr. Amore Stable's Firenze Fire ran clear of his competition Feb. 15 to take the $250,000 General George Stakes (G3) at Laurel Park.
Guided by two-time Eclipse Award winner Irad Ortiz Jr., Firenze Fire broke second out of the gate. Honor the Fleet got his head in front for a short-lived lead from the break, followed by Threes Over Deuces. Firenze Fire dropped back briefly to allow the frontrunning pair to pass on the inside.
Firenze Fire settled three deep and dueled briefly with Honor the Fleet and Factor It In as they blew through the half-mile point in :46.89. Firenze Fire continued to track the pace around the turn and into the top of the stretch before being guided out five wide by Ortiz.
Firenze Fire kicked clear from the field at the three-sixteenths pole, opened his lead to 3 1/2 lengths, and kept surging to the wire. The son of Poseidon's Warrior finished four lengths in front. The final time for seven furlongs on a fast track was 1:22.38.
"He broke so good out of the gate like always, and we didn't want to go to the lead, so I tried to stay away from there and tried to settle, and he relaxed so well. I just sat right there and relaxed, and when I asked him, he just took off," Ortiz said. "I was confident the whole time, to be honest. He broke running, and I felt like a winner all the time."
It was the first win of the season and third in a row for Firenze Fire, who took the Fabulous Strike Stakes at Penn National and the Gravesend Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack to close 2019.
Owner Ron Lombardi of Mr. Amore Stable said he was more than pleased with the effort of his one-time classic contender and looked forward to more success this year.
"It's a dream come true. It's unbelievable. He got us to the Kentucky Derby (G1). We finished 11th, but just to get to the Derby was truly amazing. A lot of people questioned my desire to get there, saying I was pushing the horse, but my feeling is anytime you can get to the Kentucky Derby, you have to take it," Lombardi said. "He's been a great horse. He's solid. He rebounds well."
Threes Over Deuces edged through the crowd to get up for second, followed by Still Having Fun in third. Lone Rock took fourth, a neck ahead of Tiz He the One. Factor It In and Honor the Fleet completed the order.
Bred in Florida by his owner, Firenze Fire is the first foal out of the Langfuhr mare My Every Wish, who has also produced stakes-placed Firenze Freedom.
"Firenze Fire is a homebred—that makes it that much more special," Lombardi said. "Everyone said, 'My Every Wish, the broodmare, don't breed her.' I just said, 'I got nothing else to do but breed her,' and here we are."
Trained by Jason Servis, Firenze Fire improved his record to 10-3-2 from 24 starts with earnings of $1,841,750. Lombardi said a likely next start for the horse will be the April 4 Carter Handicap (G1) at Aqueduct.
"He's invited to Dubai, but Dubai takes a lot out of horses," Lombardi said. "I'm not ruling it out, but most likely we'll stay local, stay in the States, and continue racing, rather than lose a couple of months with the traveling."