ELMONT, N.Y. – Firenze Fire is showing no signs of slowing down as he gets older, so his connections see no reason to slow down their march to what they hope is a fifth consecutive trip to the Breeders’ Cup with the 6-year-old son of Poseidon’s Warrior. Firenze Fire will try for his third stakes victory of the meet and his 14th career stakes success in Sunday’s Grade 2, $250,000 John Nerud Stakes at Belmont Park. The Nerud, the last of 10 races on a Fourth of July card, offers its winner a fees-paid berth into the Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 6 at Del Mar. Already at this meet, Firenze Fire has won the Grade 3 Runhappy at six furlongs on May 8 and the Grade 2 True North going 6 1/2 furlongs on June 4. He is 7 for 10 at Belmont in his career. The Nerud is run at seven furlongs, a distance at which Firenze Fire is only 1 for 7, but one that trainer Kelly Breen believes is ideal for him. “Running him back every four weeks is right up his wheelhouse and seven-eighths is fine,” Breen said. “I wish the Breeders’ Cup was seven-eighths.” In winning the True North last month, Firenze Fire broke from the rail and dueled on the inside of the in-form Flagstaff before edging away from that rival to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Firenze Fire ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.52 and earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure. :: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports “I think in his last race the speed he showed might have opened my eyes a little bit that he’s still got it,” Breen said. Firenze Fire may have to use that speed again Sunday as he has drawn the rail for the second straight race. Irad Ortiz Jr. rides. The True North was run before a deluge turned the track into a sea of slop. Breen and owner Ron Lombardi will hope the track dries out after Friday’s rain and forecasted showers Saturday or they could potentially scratch. “My phone says it’s going to be beautiful,” Breen quipped. Mind Control, a two-time Grade 1 winner at seven furlongs, is another who would likely come out if the track is sloppy. Mind Control, a 5-year-old son of Stay Thirsty, on Sunday will be making his first start for trainer Todd Pletcher after making the first 20 for Gregg Sacco. Two starts back, Mind Control finished second to Mischevious Alex in the Grade 1 Carter at Aqueduct. Last out, he was seventh, beaten only 3 1/2 lengths by Flagstaff, in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs. “That was a weird race,” Pletcher said of the Churchill Downs. “The whole field was within four lengths of each other.” Pletcher said Mind Control has been “straightforward” to train, and the horse will be reunited with John Velazquez, aboard for both Grade 1 stakes victories. One horse whose chances would move up over a wet track is Doubly Blessed. A 4-year-old gelding by Empire Maker, Doubly Blessed is 3 for 3 over an off track, including a 1 1/2-length victory in a second-level allowance here May 29 for which he earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure. Doubly Blessed has gone 4 for 6 on dirt – all this year – after beginning his career going 1 for 7 on turf. Luis Saez rides Doubly Blessed from post 7. Top Seed, a 5-year-old son of Orb, is making his stakes debut for trainer Shug McGaughey. He set the pace in a one-mile allowance race and dug in when confronted by Happy Saver before giving way to that Grade 1-winning colt in the final furlong and was only beaten one length. “I thought Top Seed stepped it up pretty good against Happy Saver,” McGaughey said. “Jose [Ortiz] after the race said maybe if we shorten him up, he’s got enough turn of foot where we could finish good.” Three Technique finished three-quarters of a length behind Top Seed when third to Happy Saver on May 28. He is a two-time winner going seven furlongs. American Power and Wicked Trick, third and fourth, respectively, behind Firenze Fire in the True North, complete the field.