Firenze Fire will cut back to a mile for Dwyer

ELMONY, N.Y. – It’s been quite the Belmont spring-summer meet for trainer Jason Servis, who has won with 12 of his 24 starters including four stakes wins.

He hopes the good times continue the remaining four weeks, especially on July 7 when he plans to run Firenze Fire in the Grade 3, $300,000 Dwyer Stakes going a mile.

The last time Firenze Fire raced a mile at Belmont, he won the Grade 1 Champagne last fall.

Firenze Fire finished 11th in the Kentucky Derby. Has worked twice since, including a five-furlong move in 1:01.40 on June 11 under Irad Ortiz Jr.

“We gave him some time off, nothing major, 10 days,” Servis said. “He had a good breeze the other day with Irad.”

In the Dwyer, Firenze Fire is expected to meet fellow Kentucky Derby alums Enticed (14th) and Magnum Moon (19th).

◗ Pablo Fragoso won last Friday’s second race aboard longshot Luzinski, but the stewards weren’t satisfied with his ride.

The stewards fined Fragoso $500 for misuse of the whip, striking his mount more than five times without giving the horse a chance to respond, and excessive use of the crop. The stewards had previously warned Fragoso on whip abuse.