Firenze Fire Must Catch Chateau to Win Second Runhappy

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Firenze Fire Must Catch Chateau to Win Second Runhappy
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Firenze Fire trains ahead of the 2020 Breeders' Cup at Keeneland

Mr. Amore Stable's Firenze Fire  is set to make his 6-year-old debut May 8 in the $150,000 Runhappy Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park, where four others were also entered in the six-furlong sprint for older horses. 

The son of Poseidon's Warrior  capped off 2020 with a half-length defeat when he rallied to finish second in the Dec. 19 Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park. That effort followed a third in the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Keeneland and a pace-pressing victory in the Sept. 26 Vosburgh Stakes (G2) over the same course and distance as the Runhappy.

Firenze Fire won the 2019 Runhappy when it was a listed event. Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride from post 4 for trainer Kelly Breen.

Sharing the 124-pound highweight with Firenze Fire will be Michael Dubb's Chateau . The 6-year-old Flat Out   gelding will try to rebound from a fourth in the April 3 Carter Handicap (G1) at Aqueduct Racetrack, where he set the pace before fading. The Carter followed two victories for Chateau. He won a Jan. 18 allowance optional claimer at Aqueduct Racetrack before taking the March 6 Tom Fool Handicap (G3). The Rob Atras trainee won both of those six-furlong starts by leading throughout.

Kendrick Carmouche retains the mount from post 3 on Chateau, the controlling speed of the race.

Stan the Man , Town Classic , and Drafted  complete the lineup.

Another dirt sprint on the Saturday card, this one for older fillies and mares, is the $150,000 Vagrancy Handicap (G3) at 6 1/2 furlongs. Holly Hill Stables' Pacific Gale  will try for her third consecutive graded stakes win after starting the year with two graded wins at Gulfstream Park. 

The 6-year-old Flat Out   mare trained by John Kimmel broke through the graded ranks in the Jan. 23 Inside Information Stakes (G2), then added the March 20 Hurricane Bertie Stakes (G3) to her win column. She'll be ridden from post 6 by John Velazquez.

Pacific Gale wins the 2021 Hurricane Bertie Stakes at Gulfstream Park
Photo: Coglianese Photos/Ryan Thompson
Pacific Gale wins the Hurricane Bertie Stakes at Gulfstream Park

French Empire  will step up to stakes company as she races for Ten Strike Racing, Michael Kisber, and Little Red Feather Racing for the first time. The 6-year-old Street Sense   mare has joined the barn of Brad Cox after being stabled with Cipriano Contreras her last five starts. Javier Castellano will ride from the outside post 7.

Last year's Vagrancy winner, Tommy Town Thoroughbreds' Victim of Love , will make her third start since then. The Vagrancy was run in June last season, and following that score Victim of Love earned a grade 1 placing when third in the Aug. 8 Ballerina Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. She was away until her 5-year-old debut Feb. 26 at Laurel Park, where she finished second in an allowance optional claimer for trainer Todd Beattie. The Speightstown   mare will be ridden by Joel Rosario for her second start of 2021 as she breaks from post 3. 

Sadie Lady  and Kiss the Girl  are entered off last-out stakes wins, while Honor Way  will try to shake off a third-place finish, only three-quarters of a length behind the winner, in the April 2 Distaff Handicap (G3) at Aqueduct. Piedi Bianchi  completes the field.


Entries: Runhappy S. (G3)

Belmont Park, Saturday, May 08, 2021, Race 4

  • Grade III
  • 6f
  • Dirt
  • $150,000
  • 4 yo's & up
  • 2:31 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Stan the Man (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Joel Rosario 118 John P. Terranova II 4/1
2 2Town Classic (ON)Keeneland Sales Graduate Jose L. Ortiz 118 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. 12/1
3 3Chateau (KY) Kendrick Carmouche 124 Rob Atras 8/5
4 4Firenze Fire (FL) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 124 Kelly J. Breen 4/5
5 5Drafted (FL) Luis Saez 118 David P. Duggan 15/1


Entries: Vagrancy H. (G3)

Belmont Park, Saturday, May 08, 2021, Race 7

  • Grade III
  • 6 1/2f
  • Dirt
  • $150,000
  • 4 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
  • 4:06 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Piedi Bianchi (IN)Keeneland Sales Graduate Manuel Franco 120 Carlos F. Martin 8/1
2 2Sadie Lady (NY) Kendrick Carmouche 119 Rob Atras 6/1
3 3Victim of Love (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Joel Rosario 121 Todd M. Beattie 4/1
4 4Kiss the Girl (MD) Trevor McCarthy 117 Michael J. Trombetta 15/1
5 5Honor Way (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Jose L. Ortiz 122 Charlton Baker 3/1
6 6Pacific Gale (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate John R. Velazquez 122 John C. Kimmel 5/2
7 7French Empire (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Javier Castellano 119 Brad H. Cox 7/2