Firenze Fire shooting for first seven-furlong win in General George

The eight-time stakes winner Firenze Fire and the streaking upstart Wicked Trick head a field of nine set to contest seven furlongs in Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 General George Stakes at Laurel Park.

The General George and the Grade 3, $250,000 Barbara Fritchie top a nine-race card that includes three other stakes. First post is 12:25 p.m.

Owner Ron Lombardi had considered breeding Firenze Fire early in the year and bringing him back to the races later in 2020. But trainer Jason Servis convinced him there were good opportunities for Firenze Fire this winter and spring starting with this race and then the Grade 1 Carter at Aqueduct on April 4.

Firenze Fire ended his 4-year-old campaign with back-to-back stakes victories in the Fabulous Strike at Penn National on Nov. 27 and the Gravesend on Dec. 22 at Aqueduct.

“He had a couple of good spots. We were just throwing the football hoping somebody caught it,” Servis said. “He’s a homebred. He’s been a really good horse for Ron.”

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Though Firenze Fire is winless in three starts at seven furlongs, he has only competed in Grade 1 stakes at that distance. He finished second to Mitole in the Forego last August at Saratoga, a race in which Mitole set a stakes record.

Irad Ortiz Jr., the regular rider for Firenze Fire, will be up from Florida for the mount on Saturday.

Wicked Trick, who is blind in his right eye, makes his stakes debut after reeling off six consecutive victories, a streak that began in a maiden $20,000 claimer last July. In his next start, he was claimed for $16,000 by Linda Rice and has won all four of his starts for Rice, including a starter allowance by 9 1/4 lengths on Jan. 20.

“He’s been a pleasure, obviously, but he’s never faced horses like these,” Rice said. “Last time, it was a starter allowance. He was impressive, ran a big figure, so we’re giving him a chance in here.”

Rice said Wicked Trick was “pretty nervous” when he first came to her barn.

“We gave him plenty of time before we ran him. He seems to have gotten through that and matured so we’ve been able to do a little bit more with him more frequently,” Rice said.

Wicked Trick will break from the outside post under Jose Lezcano.

Rice also entered Tiz He the One, who is 5 for 7 at Laurel. Rice was undecided if she would run him there or possibly point to a race like the Tom Fool or Stymie at Aqueduct on March 7.

Honor the Fleet brings a two-race winning streak into the General George, including a neck victory over Three Over Deuces in the Fire Plug here on Jan. 18. Three Over Deuces is also back in this race.

Factor It In has won two of three since being claimed for $25,000 by Carlos Mancilla. The field is completed by Still Having Fun, winless since upsetting the 2018 Woody Stephens; Lone Rock, an allowance winner at Aqueduct; and Wonderful Light, a two-time winner at Laurel.