Firenze Fire Makes Fifth BC Appearance in Curtain Call

Ron Lombardi of Mr. Amore Stable knows his way around the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar. His Firenze Fire, a homebred 6-year-old son of Poseidon's Warrior, made his first Breeders' Cup start in 2017 at the seaside track, where he now returns to make his fifth and final appearance at the world's premier racing festival. Ahead of the $2 million Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) Nov. 6, Firenze Fire's owner/breeder was enjoying morning training and soaking in the last days of the veteran campaigner's career. "It means a lot coming back for the fifth time," Lombardi said. "I think there are only five other horses that have been to the Breeders' Cup five times, and it's something special." Firenze Fire's Breeders' Cup finishes were a seventh in the 2017 Sentient Jet Breeders' Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar, fourth in the 2018 Dirt Mile (G1) at Churchill Downs, fifth in the 2019 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita Park, and third in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland. His $2,710,350 in career earnings are bolstered by the $310,000 in earnings from those four lifetime starts at the Breeders' Cup. Coming into his second Breeders' Cup at Del Mar (he is the only horse to compete in both events), Firenze Fire has a combined race record of 14-7-3 in 37 starts, including five grade 3 victories and three grade 2 wins. His lone grade 1 win came at age 2 in the 2017 Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park. His other career highlights include a trio of stakes victories, two at $300,000—the True North Stakes (G2) and Dwyer Stakes (G3) at Belmont and the Gallant Bob Stakes (G3) at Parx Racing. He also narrowly missed winning the Forego Stakes (G1) this summer at Saratoga Race Course, a race in which he attempted to savage victorious Yaupon. "Between warrior and savage, he's got it all," said Firenze Fire's trainer, Kelly Breen. "He's the long-tooth of the Breeders' Cup right now. We have some really top 3-year-olds in our race. This seems to be a very good crop of 3-year-olds. But, you know, he made it. He's back." "The race sets up tough," Lombardi chimed in. "I mean, there are some really good 3-year-olds. You have Following Sea and Jackie's Warrior. We're in the 6 post, and they're in the 1 and 2, so I'm hoping that we get a little speed duel up front. We could sit off the pace and make his move. And typically, he does come from off the pace... If you asked me to write down how we'd like the post position to come, it would be pretty close to the way it actually came out. So, I think we have everything in our favor, and hopefully, it works out." Firenze Fire will be retired to Arrow Stud in Japan after Saturday's start. "I'm not only the owner and breeder, but it's like losing a family member," Lombardi said. "We're going to have a little bit of a void in our barn come January," Breen added. "And it's sad. It's a remodeling—rebuilding of the barn a little bit... The way that he's been training, you know, he probably has a couple more years of running in him. But we did get an offer that was hard to refuse and he's going to be a stallion." Firenze Fire was previously trained by Jason Servis, who was indicted by the federal government in March 2020 along with more than two dozen others on horse-doping charges. So it was significant to Lombardi and his horse's value as a sire that Firenze Fire performed at the highest level after transferring to train with Breen. Lombardi commented on the horse's 2021 campaign with Breen, which has included two graded stakes wins and $473,500 in earnings. "It was very important that the horse be able to show himself that he was at the same (level)," Lombardi continued. "So, absolutely, (his 2021 wins were) validation. You didn't know, was (Servis) using anything enhancement-wise or whatever? But I mean, I could honestly say that 2020 and 2021 are his two best years. So, if (Servis) was using something, I don't think it was working. And maybe he wasn't using any, I don't know. But it was really important for me to get that monkey off my back with him, saying, 'Hey, this is a legitimate horse.' "He's proven that he can show up and he does deliver. Five times here, he always shows up. He's solid. If you look at his class, all the horses that were around in 2017, as 2-year-olds, he's the one going forward and he delivers every time... He's been a great horse. And he's a fan favorite. He's done a lot of different things. He always tries, you know." Lombardi described the task of determining Firenze Fire's future a tough decision. "He's been a fantastic horse, and I've had offers from California, Kentucky, New York, Maryland, Florida, and then Japan, and I said no to everybody," Lombardi said. "And then they came back, and I talked to a bunch of people that are breeders and they said, you know, 'Take the money.' And, I had accumulated 23 broodmares for him that nicked out really well. I was looking to breed them, and people said, 'Why didn't you breed them last year?' Because I thought he'd do better racing. And honestly, right now, it's a tough decision because I wanted to bring him back as a 7-year-old and try and make a sixth start in the Breeders' Cup. But, you know, it is a business... "I still have two full brothers to him—Just Leo and a weanling that's not named yet. And I also have a half brother with Speightstown, and I still own the broodmare, so things are looking good, and hopefully, we get a few more out of the bloodline with them."