Firenze Fire

Firenze Fire won his career debut in June 2017 at Monmouth Park by 3 1/2 lengths before testing stakes competition in the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes in July at Saratoga Race Course. In the Sanford, Firenze Fire gamely held off a late bid from Free Drop Bully to prevail. Making his next start in the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes, Firenze Fire stalked the pace but came up emty in the stretch and ran fourth. He rebounded nicely, however, five weeks later when he surged to a visually impressive victory in the Grade 1 Champagnes Stakes at Belmont Park to punch his ticket to the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Firenze Fire closed his 2-year-old season with a seventh-place finish in the Juvenile.

In his 2018 debut, Firenze Fire got back on the winning track with a hard-fought win over Seven Trumpets in the Grade 3 Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct. He put forth another good effort when wheeled back to the races after a three-week break in the Grade 3 Withers Stakes on Feb. 3, checking in second behind Avery Island. He subsequently ran a disappointing fourth, beaten by 9 1/4 lengths in the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes on March 10. Returning in the Wood Memorial Presented by NYRA Bets, he once again ran fourth and was no threat to top three finishers Vino Rosso, Enticed, and Restoring Hope.

Making his next start in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, Firenze Fire drew the dreaded No. 1 post position. Despite that, he remained in contention through the backstretch before tiring to finish 11^th.

Given a nice break after the Kentucky Derby, Firenze Fire returned refreshed and at a one-turn mile distance morst suited to him in the Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes on July 7. He rolled right past heavily favored Mendelssohn entering the stretch and streaked clear to a dominant victory in a blistering time of 1:33.74. He then started in a competitive running of the H. Allen Jerkens Stakes Presented by Runhappy on Aug. 25 and Saratoga and rallied late to finish third behind Promises Fulfilled and Seven Trumpets.

Making his next start in the Grade 3 Gallant Bob Stakes going three-quarters of a mile at Parx Racing on Sept. 22, Firenze Fire rated just off the pace and launched his bid nearing the stretch, where he was involved in a three-horse battle with Seven Trumpets and Whereshetoldmetogo. The former gave way in deep stretch but the latter kept battling until just a few steps from the wire Whereshetoldmetogo tried to bite Firenze Fire, who was edging away. Firenze Fire held on for the hard-fought win. Firenze Fire finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Las Vegas Dirt Mile in his final start as a 3-year-old.

After running third in his 2019 debut, Firenze Fire won the Runhappy Stakes May 11 at Belmont Park by 4 ¾ lengths. He followed with a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Met Mile before finishing fourth July 27 at Saratoga in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap.

Firenze Fire showed improvement in his next start when second to highly regarded Mitole in the Grade 1 Forego Stakes Presented by Encore Boston Harbor. He came up a nose short in a heartbreaking loss to Imperial Hint in the Grade 1 Vosburgh Stakes Sept. 28 after he had headed that rival in deep stretch. He subsequently finished fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Firenze Fire closed out his 4-year-old season with stakes wins at Penn National and Aqueduct in November and December, respectively.

Firenze Fire returned to graded stakes competition for his 5-year-old bow and dominated the opposition in a runaway victory in the Grade 3 General George Stakes Feb. 15 at Laurel Park. After running fourth in the Grade 1 Runhappy Carter Handicap June 6, Firenze Fire returned three weeks later and posted a dominant win in the Grade 2 True North Stakes. Firenze Fire followed with a fourth-place finish, beaten by only two lengths by Volatile, in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap in July at Saratoga before an uncharacteristic last-place finish in the Grade 1 Forego Stakes, which was held on a sloppy track and reconfirmed Firenze Fire’s preference for a fast, dry surface.

The 5-year-old regained his top form in the Grade 1 Vosburgh Stakes Sept. 26 at Belmont Park, where he surged well clear late to a dominant victory and improved for five wins from eight starts at Belmont. Firenze Fire also improved upon a runner-up finish in the race in 2019. Firenze Fire subsequently finished a determined third in the Nov. 7 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland Race Course. He closed out his 2020 campaign with a runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector Stakes Dec. 19 at Gulfstream Park.

Firenze Fire made his 6-year-old debut in the Grade 3 Runhappy Stakes at Belmont Park on May 8, 2021. As the 9-10 favorite, he rated right off the speedy Chateau, and pounced on him when he began to back up, crossing the wire as much the best. Irad Ortiz Jr. had the winning mount. He followed with a game win in the Grade 2 True North Stakes June 4 at Belmont Park, where he dueled for the early lead with Grade 1 winner Flagstaff before putting that one away in deep stretch en route to a clear victory. The True North was Firenze Fire's seventh win in 10 starts on the main track at Belmont.

Firenze Fire made headlines when he ran in the Grade 1 Forego Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 28. While driving down the stretch with Yaupon, he attempted to take a bite out of his rival several times. Jose Ortiz managed to straighten him out in the last few strides, but his savagery may have cost him the race, as he ended up second. 

From the first crop of Grade 1 winner Poseidon's Warrior, Firenze Fire is from the female family of 2011 Preakness Stakes winner Shackleford and his Grade 1-winning half-sister Lady Joanne, both of whom were produced by 2011 Broodmare of the Year Oatsee, by Unbridled.