Stakes-Placed Squire Returns in Dr. Fager

The 2025 Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association's Florida Sire Stakes series kicks off Sept. 6 when Gulfstream Park stages the $100,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Dr. Fager Stakes for 2-year-old males and the $100,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Desert Vixen Stakes for juvenile fillies. Both of Saturday's races—each part of a three-race series that extends in distance with each leg—are at six furlongs on dirt and for Thoroughbreds sired by accredited Florida stallions.

Favored at 8-5 in the Dr. Fager is Squire , a first-out winner April 18 on dirt going 4 1/2 furlongs and later second to Sandal's Song  in the May 10 Royal Palm Juvenile Stakes at five furlongs on grass for trainer Patrick Biancone.

Biancone said Squire "was a little bit too nervous when he ran in the stakes. He never settled. He was a pain in the butt to put in the gate. He went to the lead but didn't finish. But at the end of the day, he ran a great race, because the winner nearly won the Norfolk at Ascot. He finished third."

Biancone owns Squire, a son of Leinster  , with Amy Dunne. Dunne and her husband, Ciaran, are the founders of Wavertree Stables—highly successful owners, pinhookers, and consignors—and also bred Squire.

"We decided to give him time when he didn't go to Ascot. We sent him to the farm, and he got rested and he was gelded. He put on some weight," Biancone said. "We were going to give him a prep race a month ago, but the track was so (sloppy) that day, I decided to scratch him. So, we've trained him for this race. He's ready to go."

Jonathan Ocasio rides.

All to Win , who scored on debut, and Trelawny , recently fourth in the open Proud Man Stakes, are two of of his principal threats among his seven rivals.

Finding Strength Could Find Opportunity If Lennilu is Scratched

Two races before the Dr. Fager,  LNJ Foxwoods and Church Street Stable's Finding Strength , trained by Michael Yates, appears formidable in the seven-horse Desert Vixen, particularly if morning-line favorite Lennilu , cross-entered in Sept. 7 Untapable Stakes at Kentucky Downs, runs there. According to Gulfstream Park publicity, Biancone is leaning toward running Lennilu for a richer purse on turf at Kentucky Downs.

Finding Strength, a daughter of Khozan  , scored second out after a debut third.

"I just think with the racing experience she took a step forward," Yates said.

Jesus Rios is named to ride Finding Strength, rated the 3-1 third choice on the morning line, from post 2.

Yates also entered Henry Mast Jr.'s Copper Creole  but was uncertain whether the chestnut daughter of Cajun Breeze  would would start on short rest after a third on debut Aug. 30.

Biancone also has a second entrant in Laigina  (10-1), a first-time starter by Leinster who he co-owns with Green With MV Stable.

Also meriting attention is MyRacehorse, Thoroughbred Acquisition Group, and Miller Racing's Love Like Lucy , a $300,000 purchase earlier this year, who scored at 1-2 odds when unveiled in a maiden race Aug. 8 for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.