Firenze Fire Eyes Vosburgh Title Defense

Mr. Amore Stable's Firenze Fire  returns to Belmont Park Oct. 9 in pursuit of a title defense in the $250,000 Vosburgh Stakes (G2), a race that could send him back to the Breeders' Cup World Championships.

The six-furlong Vosburgh for 3-year-olds and upward is a Breeders' Cup Challenge qualifier that offers the winner an automatic entry into the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Del Mar. Should Firenze Fire move forward to the Breeders' Cup Sprint off the Vosburgh, it would mark his fifth straight Breeders' Cup appearance. He was seventh in the 2017 Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), fourth in the 2018 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), fifth in the 2019 Breeders' Cup Sprint, and third in the 2020 running of the Sprint.

Trained by Kelly Breen, Firenze Fire, who captured last year's Vosburgh by 2 3/4 lengths, will try to join Joe Schenck (1940-41), Dr. Fager (1967-68), Sewickley (1989-90), Private Zone  (2013-14), and Imperial Hint   (2018-19) as a back-to-back Vosburgh winner. 

A 14-time winner over seven different racetracks, Firenze Fire has claimed most of his success at Belmont, where he has notched seven wins. 

The 6-year-old son of Poseidon's Warrior  caught the attention of racing fans the world over Aug. 28 in the Forego Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course when he attempted to savage Yaupon   in a memorable stretch duel, ultimately coming up a head shy of victory. 

"It's amazing. I must have watched it a hundred times," said owner Ron Lombardi. "It's amazing how he stayed with Yaupon while trying to bite him through at least four strides. Another two strides he would have won it, not that he would have stayed up. It's made him a rockstar. It may have cost me a few dollars, but he's definitely getting a lot of attention."

Firenze Fire has won a graded stakes race at Belmont Park in four of the last five years, including a win in the 2017 Champagne Stakes (G1), his only grade 1 victory to date. 

"He's won at seven tracks, but he's won the most at Belmont, and loves that surface," Lombardi said. "He's just such a solid horse and he showed his athleticism last time out in the Forego."

Firenze Fire scored back-to-back runnings of the True North Stakes (G2) and was a close second to Imperial Hint in the 2019 Vosburgh. 

"It could've been three times, but that's part of the game," said Lombardi, who added he has not ruled out a 7-year-old campaign for Firenze Fire. 

"He's still at the top of his game. I've had offers, but I may run him next year," Lombardi said. "I would love to do that. I think it would be so cool. The fans love him. He's a fan favorite and he elevated that with his antics last time. It would be great to have him run back, so we'll see."

Irad Ortiz Jr., who has engineered winning trips in nine of Firenze Fire's 14 victories, will return to the irons from post 4. 

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will target his fourth Vosburgh coup with Spendthrift Farm homebred Following Sea . The 3-year-old son of Runhappy   has never finished off the board in five starts, which include a pair of grade 1 placings. After being elevated to second via disqualification in the nine-furlong TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) in July at Monmouth Park, he finished a distant third to Jackie's Warrior  and fellow Pletcher trainee Life Is Good  in the seven-furlong H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1) in August at Saratoga. 

Following Sea earned a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure when defeating winners going 6 1/2 furlongs June 3 at Belmont. 

"He's talented and I thought he ran pretty well in the Allen Jerkens. He reacted to the dirt in his face for a while, but he finished up decently," Pletcher said. "The Haskell may have been a little too far a little too soon, but he's held good company and had a good win over the track here over the summer."

Pletcher said the distance should be right up his alley. 

"He broke his maiden going six and won the allowance here going six and a half, so hopefully it suits him," Pletcher said.

Joel Rosario will ride from post 5. 

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott will saddle Baby Yoda , who was victorious Sept. 4 against older winners going 6 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga. The third lifetime victory for the 3-year-old son of Prospective  produced a 114 Beyer Speed Figure, which is the co-highest figure to be recorded by a horse this year. 

Previously trained in Maryland by Charles Frock, Baby Yoda won at first asking for a $10,000 tag May 30, two starts ahead of winning his first outing for Mott in a July 17 starter allowance at Saratoga. 

Baby Yoda is owned by Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, Pantofel Stable, and Jerold Zaro and will leave from post 3 under Luis Saez. 

Rabbah Bloodstock's Good Effort  will add blinkers for his first start in North America, entering off an allowance-level win over the all-weather surface at Deauville. 

Trained by Ismail Mohammed, the 6-year-old son of Shamardal  was a four-time sprint stakes winner over the synthetic surfaces at Lingfield Park and Newcastle in England last year. His best effort on dirt took place in the Mahab Al Shimaal (G3) in March at Meydan when he finished second, beaten by a neck.

Good Effort will be ridden by Wayne Lordan from post 2. 

Completing the field is Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen's Jalen Journey , a winner via disqualification last out in the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) at Laurel Park for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen. 

Jalen Journey, a 6-year-old ridgling son of With Distinction , boasts a consistent 8-2-1 record from 16 starts with just over a half-million dollars in lifetime earnings. Breaking from post 1, he will be piloted by Jose Lezcano.