Firenze Fire dominant in Dwyer Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Even as Firenze Fire chased owner Ron Lombardi’s dream of getting a horse into the Kentucky Derby, trainer Jason Servis always knew this colt’s forte was in races run around one turn.

On Saturday, Firenze Fire again backed up that belief with a dominant nine-length victory in the Grade 3, $350,000 Dwyer Stakes, a one-turn-mile race at Belmont Park.

“We’ve been waiting to do this,” Servis said from Parx in Pennsylvania, where he also won a stakes Saturday. “We had Derby fever, got it out of our system. It was a blast, but this is what he wants to do.”

At age 2, Firenze Fire won three times around one turn, including the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont last fall, when he defeated Good Magic, who would go on to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and be crowned 2-year-old male champion.

Firenze Fire won the Withers, a one-turn mile at Aqueduct in January, before finishing fourth in the Grade 3 Gotham, a one-turn race at Aqueduct in March, during a busy winter when he was trying to accumulate points to qualify for the Derby.

Firenze Fire finished 11th, 23 1/2 lengths behind Justify, in the Kentucky Derby before getting a freshening.

Firenze Fire came back with a visually impressive and fast race. Under Irad Ortiz Jr., Firenze Fire sat fifth, about 3 1/2 lengths behind Noble Indy and Mendelssohn, who were heads apart after a half-mile in 45.98 seconds.

Mendelssohn, under Ryan Moore, took the lead at the five-sixteenths pole, but Ortiz had Firenze Fire rallying four wide.

Firenze Fire took command at the three-sixteenths pole and roared home in a final quarter of 23.93 seconds to complete the mile 1:33.74.

Seven Trumpets rallied to get second by a half-length over Mendelssohn. He was followed by Rugbyman, Seahenge, Fixedincome Larry, and Noble Indy.

Firenze Fire, a son of Poseidon’s Warrior who won for the fifth time in 11 starts, returned $7.50 as the 5-2 second choice after being 5-1 shortly after the gates opened.

“We were working that way – relax the first part and finish, and it worked out good,” Ortiz said. “I expect he was going to run big today, but I don’t expect that he was going to gallop like that. I’m so happy to see the way he did it today. He’s a nice horse. It’s good to see him back.”

Servis said he would like to keep Firenze Fire in one-turn races and point to the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens, a seven-furlong race at Saratoga on Aug. 25.

Mendelssohn was sent off the 3-2 favorite based on a reputation built mostly off an 18 1/2-length win in the United Arab Emirates Derby in March. He was making his first start since finishing last in the Kentucky Derby.

Though he broke well and was involved early, Mendelssohn was no match for Firenze Fire and was beaten 9 1/2 lengths. Moore said he thought the horse got tired but had a useful race.

“He ran a nice race for his first run in two months,” Moore said. ”I expect him to come forward from this race today.”