Poseidon’s Warrior’s multiple graded stakes winner Firenze Fire made short work of the field in Saturday’s $150,000 Runhappy S. at Belmont Park, setting up the 4-year-old for the Met Mile (G1), which will run on Belmont S. (G1) day, June 8.
Winner of the Champagne S. (G1) as well as a trio of Grade 3 races, Firenze Fire has now banked $1,216,600 for his owner/breeder Ron Lombardi’s Mr. Amore Stables. Firenze Fire is trained by Jason Servis.
Tucked in behind Recruiting Ready and Killybegs Captain early, Irad Ortiz, Jr. had a strong hold on Firenze Fire until the top of the stretch, when he swung three wide and blew by the pacesetters. Pulling away all the way to the wire, he won by 4 3/4-lengths in 1:08.12, less than a second off the six-furlong track record, to earn a gaudy Beyer Speed Figure of 106.
“The plan is the Met Mile. Obviously, he loves six furlongs, but I don’t think a mile would have bothered him today,” said Lombardi.
“I broke well. He always breaks well. I got a good position behind the speed like I wanted,” added Ortiz. “I just waited until Luis [Saez, aboard Recruiting Ready] moved and tipped him out. When I did that he flew home.”
Poseidon’s Warrior, a Grade 1-winning son of leading sire Speightstown, joined the Darby Dan Farm roster this year. Represented in 2019 on track by his third crop of runners, he is standing this year for $6,500 stands and nurses.
