Firenze Fire's future remains to be determined

Firenze Fire, a solid third in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland, was back in trainer Kelly Breen’s Belmont Park barn by Sunday afternoon while owner Ron Lombardi contemplates what’s next for the 5-year-old Florida-bred son of Poseidon’s Warrior.

Lombardi said Monday he’s torn between retiring Firenze Fire and making him a stallion or continuing to race him. There’s even the possibility of running him once or twice more and then retiring him early in 2021. Lombardi didn’t reject the notion of trying the Grade 1, $250,000 Cigar Mile on Dec. 5 at Aqueduct.

“I think he can do the mile. That is something that’s come up,” Lombardi said. “Timing-wise it fits.”

Firenze Fire is 3 for 5 in a one-turn mile scenario, with victories in the Grade 1 Champagne, Grade 3 Dwyer, and the ungraded Jerome.

Lombardi also mentioned running him at Gulfstream Park since he’s a Florida-bred. The $100,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint at six furlongs is restricted to Florida-breds and run on Jan. 16. There also is the Grade 3, $100,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes on Dec. 19 at Gulfstream.

“It’s a big decision for me. Honestly I haven’t made it yet,” Lombardi said. “I’m probably 50-50. I love running him, he’s so solid, and I think he ran well on Saturday. I was expecting a little bit more. He was right there. He had a little bit of trouble.”

Firenze Fire, well back early, rallied along the inside to finished third, 3 1/4 lengths behind Whitmore and just lost second by a neck to C Z Rocket.

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It was his fourth straight appearance in the Breeders’ Cup. He finished seventh in the 2017 Juvenile at Del Mar, fourth in the 2018 Dirt Mile at Churchill Downs, and fifth in the Sprint last year at Santa Anita.

Firenze Fire has won 12 of 30 starts, 11 stakes, and has earned $2,218,250.

Lombardi said he’s received interest from breeders in New York, Maryland, and even Japan.

“Financially, the right thing to do is probably to breed him,” Lombardi said. “I think he’s got a future still running. I got to digest it all and see how he comes out of it.”

Lombardi said if he does decide to retire Firenze Fire, “I have about 20 broodmares for him already if I decide to go that route.”