Firenze Fire begins path to Derby in Jerome Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Owner Ron Lombardi and trainer Jason Servis have a very simple and logical explanation for keeping Kentucky Derby prospect Firenze Fire in New York this winter.

“Ron and I talked about it, and he thought New York was the softest path to the Derby, and I agreed with him,” Servis said.

Weather permitting, New York’s path to the Kentucky Derby is scheduled to begin Monday with the $150,000 Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct, and Firenze Fire was one of eight horses entered Friday for the one-turn mile.

Though now ungraded, the Jerome (10-4-2-1) is the first of four races for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct that offers qualifying points to its top four finishers to the May 5 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. The Grade 3, $250,000 Withers (10-4-2-1) on Feb. 3; the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham (50-20-10-5) on March 10; and the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial (100-40-20-10) are the others. The Jerome and Gotham are run at a one-turn mile. The Withers and Wood Memorial are run at 1 1/8 miles around two turns.

Firenze Fire already has 10 points toward the Derby by virtue of his victory over Good Magic in the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont last October. Firenze Fire finished seventh to Good Magic in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar, though he had developed a temperature upon shipping to California. Servis said blood tests taken prior to the Breeders’ Cup didn’t reveal any problems.

“We had to run because everything checked out, but he wasn’t himself,” Servis said.

Despite some cold and snowy weather in New York this month, Firenze Fire was able to get in two works leading up to the Jerome.

“We were able to breeze on Wednesday,” Servis said, referring to a half-mile move in 49.66 seconds over the Belmont training track, which was closed for training Monday (for Christmas) and Tuesday (weather).

The forecast for Monday puts the Jerome at risk of being postponed. Temperatures are not expected to reach 20 degrees, and the wind chill is likely to be near zero.

Firenze Fire drew post 5 and will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. Trainer Butch Reid entered both Diamond King and Smooth B in the Jerome. He has both entered in Saturday’s $100,000 Heft Stakes at Laurel Park. Reid is expected to run Diamond King in the Heft and Smooth B in the Jerome.

Trainer Bill Mott entered Honor Up in the Jerome, though he is also entered in Saturday’s Damon Runyon for New York-breds.

Seven Trumpets, a winner of two straight, arrived at Aqueduct from south Florida on Tuesday by van. Old Time Revival, Regalian, and Millionaire Runner also were entered in the Jerome.