Firenze Fire Shows His Mettle in Gallant Bob

Firenze Fire already had his work cut out for him trying to maintain his advantage to the line Sept. 22 in the $300,000 Gallant Bob Stakes (G3) at Parx Racing. Then about six jumps before the wire, the longshot he was gamely fending off decided to make things personal.

The sixth career win for Mr. Amore Stables' homebred colt proved to be a fight in every sense of the word. After emerging from a three abreast battle and fighting back to gain a short lead in the lane, Firenze Fire had his nerve further tested when eventual runner-up Whereshetoldmetogo tried to bite his rival in deep stretch—a piece of savagery that went for naught, as the grade 1 winner remained unfazed en route to a neck victory.

"He tried to bite me," Irad Ortiz Jr., rider of Firenze Fire, said of the late-race antics. "(Jockey) Jeremy (Rose aboard Whereshetoldmetogo) told me he tried to bite me, but nothing happened."

Poor sportsmanship notwithstanding from his main equine challenger, the six-furlong Gallant Bob proved the latest example of Firenze Fire's superior aptitude over sprint distances. The son of Poseidon's Warrior  is unbeaten in three starts at six furlongs or less and has regained his graded form since cutting back in distance following an 11th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).

The Jason Servis trainee was coming off a third-place finish in the Aug. 25 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1) at Saratoga Race Course and aired out a field that included fellow Gallant Bob entrant Seven Trumpets during a ninth-length triumph in the one-mile Dwyer Stakes (G3) July 7 at Belmont Park.

While Firenze Fire usually makes his bid from off the pace, Ortiz kept him closer to the action Saturday, placing him second, then third, in the early going as Forced got away well and held a 2 1/2-length lead through an opening quarter mile in :21.91. Forced was still leading with about five sixteenths remaining, but was swallowed up by Seven Trumpets making an inside bid while Firenze Fire and Whereshetoldmetogo swept up to his outside.

"My horse broke so good out of the gate and he just pulled me, and I wanted to stay close," Ortiz said, "and when I asked him, he just went."

That trio came into the head of the lane in tandem with Firenze Fire edging himself out to short lead. As Seven Trumpets gave way on the rail, the 7-5 race favorite fought on with the spitfire Whereshetoldmetogo, briefly being headed by that one nearing the eighth pole before regaining the advantage. Final time for the distance was 1:11.27 over a track rated fast.

"The horse ran super. He just ran smooth," Servis said. "We go to the (TwinSpires) Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) now, what can I say. I mean he's been great. He's a special horse.

"We have the option to do the Mile (G1) or the Sprint, but I'll talk to (owner) Ron (Lombardi). We'll see."

Seven Trumpets held for third with Engage and Smooth B rounding out the top five in the eight-horse field.

Bred in Florida out of the Langfuhr mare My Every Wish, Firenze Fire earned his fourth graded stakes win and saw his earnings hit the seven-figure mark at $1,074,100 from 13 career starts. As a juvenile, he won the Sanford Stakes (G3) and Champagne Stakes (G1) before finished seventh in the Nov. 4 Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).