Fire Key finishes strong to take Floral Park Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – A frustrating summer has turned into a fabulous fall for Fire Key, who notched her second stakes victory in three weeks, taking Saturday’s $100,000 Floral Park by three-quarters of a length over Fear No Evil at Belmont Park.

Fire Key added the Floral Park to last month’s Sensible Lady Stakes at Laurel, a race in which she rallied from next-to-last in a 10-horse field to win by a nose.

Prior to that, Fire Key had lost three consecutive races by 58 3/4 lengths, but with excuses. At Saratoga, she caught a boggy turf course in the Caress Stakes; stayed in an allowance race that was rained off the turf and run on the dirt, then got caught behind a fallen horse and finished 11th of 12 in the Smart N Fancy on turf.

Saturday, in the Floral Park, Fire Key got a similar trip that she had in the Sensible Lady, rallying from next to last in a scratch-reduced field of six.

Fractious in the gate, Fire Key was in fifth position early under Julian Pimentel while Battle Joined set the pace pursued by Black Canary and Fear No Evil.

Black Canary, under Tyler Gaffalione, took over on the middle of the turn, but was overtaken by Fear No Evil and David Cohen in midstretch. Fire Key, who had been guided to the outside around the turn by Pimentel, came with a steady run and caught Fear No Evil late.

“I just wanted to get her to relax,” Pimentel said. “That was most important. Sometimes she gets a little keen and wants to go early.”

Fire Key, a 5-year-old daughter of Friesan Fire owned by Backwards Stable, covered the six furlongs over yielding ground in 1:13.03 and returned $16.60 to win. She was given a 94 Beyer Speed Figure.

“She’s learned to relax so much better this year, it’s helping her finish all her races,” trainer Pat Kelly said.

Fear No Evil finished second by 4 1/4 lengths over Black Canary, who was followed, in order, by Jc’s Shooting Star, Tillie’s Lily, the 3-5 favorite, and Battle Joined.

Jonathan Thomas, the trainer of Tillie’s Lily, said his filly simply didn’t handle the ground.

“She bobbled the entire time,” Thomas said. “All day I was thinking I shouldn’t run. I scratched the other one [Orecchiette] because I know she doesn’t like the soft. Lesson learned.”

Kelly said he would point Fire Key to the $100,000 Autumn Days Stakes – a race she won last year – at Aqueduct on Nov. 25.