Mr. Prospector Stakes | Horse Racing Free Tips

Sleepy Eyes Todd Pointed Toward Pegasus After Win In Mr. Prospector

Thumbs Up Racing LLC's Sleepy Eyes Todd pulled ahead in the final furlong to win the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. in front of 5-2 favorite, Firenze Fire.

Fourth-place finisher Wind of Change took the early lead setting the pace through fractions of :22.07, :44.35, and 1:09.05 on a fast track. Sent off at odds of 5-1, Sleepy Eyes Todd charged to the lead in the stretch followed closely by Firenze Fire, but held him off to win the seven-furlong race by a half-length with a final time of 1:21.67. Mind Control took third followed by Wind of Change. Sleepy Eyes Todd returned $12.20 on a $2 win bet.

This is the second graded stakes win for the 4-year-old son of Paddy O'Prado out of the Wild Rush mare, Pledge Mom. He is trained by Miguel Silva and was ridden to victory by Tyler Gaffalione. Prior to today, Sleepy Eyes Todd had won 7 of 14 starts for Silva including the G2 Charles Town Classic Stakes. Sleepy Eyes Todd was bred in Kentucky by Two Hearts Farm LLC and Kristen Goncharoff and sold as a weanling at the 2016 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale for $9,000.

“This is the best horse we've ever had,” Silva said. “We've always been high on him. We wanted to take him to the Kentucky Derby [last year] but he had a little issue and we had to stop with him. He's always been a nice horse. We've always believed in him,”

Silva confirmed in a post-race interview that he plans to run Sleepy Eyes Todd in the G1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park Jan. 23.

“Everything set up perfectly,” said Gaffalione. “He broke well and put himself in the race. I was able to get a nice tracking spot inside. He gave me all the confidence going into the stretch and once he found a spot he accelerated and finished the job. All the credit goes to the trainer. He did a fabulous job getting him ready for today.”

“To be honest, if you look at his form he's run in all the big races across the country and he's run at every track and he takes his form with him everywhere he goes, so you know he's consistent and he shows up every time,” he added. “We just had to work out a trip. I thought I'd be tracking Firenze Fire but I wound up a little bit in front of him which I didn't mind, and got the jump on him.”

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‘Being A Homebred Means That Much More’: Lombardi’s Passion For Racing Stems From His Father

Owner/breeder Ron Lombardi will travel from New Jersey to South Florida this weekend to watch Firenze Fire run in Saturday's $100,000 Mr. Prospector (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

The President and CEO of SportsCare Physical Therapy centers in New York, New Jersey and Florida will bring with him a passion for Thoroughbred racing that goes back to his childhood days.

“We had a house in Long Branch, about a mile from the Monmouth. Every Friday night when I was 5-6 years old, we'd get in the car with my dad and uncles and drive from Long Branch to the park to wait for the train to come in so we could get the Telegraph hot off the presses, so they could handicap the night before,” Lombardi said. “Back then, you had to be 18 to get into the track, so me and my cousins would go to Monmouth and stand up against the fence to see the horses run by us. It was a lot of fun. It's been bred in me from way back. I really enjoy it.”

Like father, like son.

“My father had a horse in 1948, He had a heart attack and was told to take some time off from manual labor, so he bought a racehorse. He did that for about a year and a half with my mom. They traveled from Gulfstream to Garden State. They did the circuit and went to Monmouth and through Maryland,” Lombardi said. “The horse paid for them to live for a year and a half and then he went back to work.”

His success in the business world has enabled Lombardi to get involved in Thoroughbred ownership on a much larger scale since claiming his first horse in 2007. His Mr. Amore Stable LLC now has 30 horses in training, 11 yearlings-turning-2 and about 12 weanlings.

Firenze Fire, a homebred, certainly has helped to pay the bills for Lombardi's venture into Thoroughbred owning and breeding. The 5-year-old multiple graded-stakes winner has earned more than $2.2 million during a 30-race career that includes a start in the 2018 Kentucky Derby, a Grade 1 victory, and a third-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Keeneland Nov. 7.

“Being a homebred means that much more. I buy a lot of horses at auction, but he's a homebred. What he's done is just fantastic — $2.2 million. He's such a solid horse and he always shows up,” Lombardi said. “Even in the Breeders' Cup, he was a [neck] away from second place. I lost him for a second – we were sitting up a ways from the finish line – and I look up and I saw some white silks cross third. I said, 'Oh, could that be us?' It was crazy.”

Firenze Fire is a 5-year-old son of Poseidon's Warrior, a stallion who stands for $6,500, and My Every Wish, a mare who never raced again after being claimed by Lombardi out of a second-place finish in a $16,000 maiden claiming race. The offspring of the bargain-basement mating quickly became a Grade 1 winner in the 2017 Champagne (G1) at Belmont.

“That was a shock. He broke his maiden in June and won the Sanford. We ran in the Champagne and beating Good Magic was unbelievable,” Lombardi said. “He's just been a solid horse. He shows up and gives you everything he has. It's been a dream come true. I wish I had six more of him.”

While Firenze Fire may be a horse of a lifetime, Lombardi is hoping that My Every Wish will continue to be an overachieving broodmare.

“Firenze Freedom is a half-sister,” said Lombardi of the stakes-placed 3-year-old daughter of Istan. “I have a full brother that's in training right now. I have another one in the oven, so to speak, so we'll have another foal who's a 100-percent match. I also have a weanling by Speightstown.”

Lombardi is looking forward to standing Firenze Fire at stud, most likely in New York.

“I was contemplating – depending on what he did in the Breeders' Cup – whether to breed him or continue to run him. I had a lot of interest from people, but to me, it made more sense to run him this year,” he said. “There are not many in his class that are still running. He's got a good following. People love watching him. He tries and shows up every time.”

The Kelly Breen-trained Firenze Fire has been installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite in a 12-horse Mr. Prospector field that includes multiple graded-stakes winner Diamond Oops, rated second at 3-1, and multiple Grade 1 stakes-winner Mind Control.

“He'll probably run two or three times at Gulfstream,” Lombardi said, “and then we'll probably ship him to New York for the Carter in Early April.”

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Cigar Mile Scratches Resurface in Mr. Prospector

Grade I winners Firenze Fire (Poseidon’s Warrior) and Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) were both scratched from GI Cigar Mile Dec. 5 after heavy rains soaked the Aqueduct main track and will instead start in Saturday’s GIII Mr. Prospector S. at Gulfstream.

A Grade I winner at two, Firenze Fire won several graded stakes during his tenure for Jason Servis and was transferred to Kelly Breen after the former was federally indicted and removed from the racetrack. Fourth in the slop in the GI Carter H. in his first start for his new conditioner June 6, the homebred won the GII True North S. June 27 and was fourth in Saratoga’s GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. July 25. Failing to fire when 11th in a sloppy renewal of that venue’s GI Forego S. Aug. 29, the bay captured Belmont’s GI Vosburgh Invitational S. Sept. 26 and was third in the GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint S. at Keeneland Nov. 7.

“Whitmore was able to get through [in the Breeders’ Cup],”owner Ron Lombardi said. “We were just behind him, but it closed up on us and we couldn’t get there. He ran a great race. He always does. He tries all the time. The slop is obviously difficult for him. That’s what led to the decision to skip the Cigar Mile and ship him to Florida.”

After closing 2019 with his second Grade I win in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S., Mind Control kicked off 2020 with a pair of victories at Aqueduct in the GIII Toboggan S. Jan. 18 and the GIII Tom Fool H. Mar. 7. With racing shut down due to COVID-19, he was next seen in the Vanderbilt, where he finished third, and was eighth in the Forego. Third when given a big class break in Monmouth’s Mr. Prospector S. Sept. 12, the homebred could only manage ninth behind the re-opposing Sleepy Eyes Todd (Paddy O’Prado) last time in Keeneland’s Lafayette S. Nov. 7.

“It’s been a little bit of a hard luck year,” said trainer Greg Sacco. “He started out the year super and then COVID hit. The Carter got pushed back and he hit the slop and he hates the slop. We ran him back in the Vanderbilt and he ran super. We were back on track and we hit the slop again. We brought him back to Monmouth to give him an easier race to give him a confidence booster. He got a rough trip that day and got checked back on the backstretch. The race at Keeneland, a horse gave way right in front of him and Johnny [Velazquez] had to snatch him up. We’ve been sort of a victim of circumstances this year.”

The versatile Diamond Oops (Lookin At Lucky) will look to defend his title in this race. Fourth in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. Jan. 25, the gelding was subsequently shelved and resurfaced in a local handicap, finishing second June 13. Back to winning ways in the GII Twin Spires Turf Sprint S. at Churchill Sept. 4, the bay followed suit with a win in Keeneland’s GII Phoenix S. back on dirt Oct. 2 and was sixth in the BC Sprint there.

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Firenze Fire, Mind Control, Diamond Oops Set For Clash In Saturday’s Mr. Prospector

Mr. Amore Stable LLC's Firenze Fire, Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables LLC's Mind Control, and Diamond 100 Racing Club LLC and partners' Diamond Oops are set for a highly anticipated clash in Saturday's $100,000 Mr. Prospector (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

The trio of multiple graded stakes-winning veterans will headline a deep field of 12 sprinters for the 66th running of seven-furlong race for 3-year-olds and up on an 11-race card that will also feature a mandatory payout of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool.

Kelly Breen-trained Firenze Fire, who was scratched from the Dec. 5 Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct due to a sloppy track, is coming off a third-place finish at Keeneland in the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), in which he rallied from 11th to just miss catching C Z Rocket for second in the six-furlong race won by Whitmore.

“Whitmore was able to get through. We were just behind him, but it closed up on us and we couldn't get there. He ran a great race. He always does. He tries all the time,” Mr. Amore Stable's Ron Lombardi said. “The slop is obviously difficult for him. That's what led to the decision to skip the Cigar Mile and ship him to Florida.”

The homebred 5-year-old son of Poseidon's Warrior, who has earned $2.2 million while winning 12 of 30 career starts against top-class company, had previously captured the Vosburgh (G2) at Belmont Park by 2 ¾ lengths.

Firenze Fire, who captured the Champagne (G1) at Belmont Park during his juvenile campaign, has been an enduring sprint star while capturing graded stakes in each of the next three years, including three in 2020. Since joining Breen's stable in March, his only two poor showings in six starts came over sloppy tracks.

Firenze Fire is scheduled to run at Gulfstream Park for the first time in his career.

“He's won on seven tracks. Of his 12 wins, seven have been at different tracks,” Lombardi said. “I think he likes a harder surface better than a softer surface, so I think Gulfstream will serve him well.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount.

Greg Sacco-trained Mind Control was also scratched from the Cigar Mile due to his dislike for sloppy tracks. The 4-year-old son of Stay Thirsty won Grade 1 stakes at Saratoga in each of his first two years of racing, capturing the Hopeful at 2 and the H. Allen Jerkens at 3.

Mind Control kicked off his 2020 campaign with back-to-back graded-stakes victories at Aqueduct in the Toboggan (G3) and Tom Fool (G3) but is winless in five subsequent starts. After finishing eighth in the Carter (G1) over a sloppy Belmont track, the Red Oak homebred turned in a strong third-place finish behind Volatile and Whitmore in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G1) at Saratoga. In his last three starts he finished off-the-board over a sloppy Saratoga track in the Forego (G1); finished third in the ungraded Mr. Prospector at Monmouth; and was a disappointing ninth in the seven-furlong Lafayette at Keeneland on the Breeders' Cup undercard.

“It's been a little bit of a hard luck year. He started out the year super and then COVID hit. The Carter got pushed back and he hit the slop and he hates the slop. We ran him back in the Vanderbilt and he ran super. We were back on track and we hit the slop again,” Sacco said. “We brought him back to Monmouth to give him an easier race to give him a confidence booster. He got a rough trip that day and got checked back on the backstretch. The race at Keeneland, a horse gave way right in front of him and Johnny [Velazquez] had to snatch him up. We've been sort of a victim of circumstances this year.”

Hall of Famer Velazquez has the return call aboard Mind Control.

Patrick Biancone-trained Diamond Oops is coming into the Mr. Prospector off an even sixth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), in which he finished 4 ½ lengths behind Whitmore and a length behind Firenze Fire after breaking from an outside post position.

“He came back good,” Biancone said. “He got a bad draw that day, but he came back good.”

The versatile Diamond Oops, who won last year's Mr. Prospector, went into the Breeders' Cup off back-to-back victories in the Churchill Downs Turf Sprint (G2) and the Phoenix (G2) over Keeneland's main track. In 2019, the 5-year-old son of Lookin At Lucky was Grade 1 stakes-placed in back-to-back starts on dirt (Alfred G. Vanderbilt at Saratoga) and on turf (Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland).

“He's just a good horse,” Biancone said.

After winning the Mr. Prospector last year, Diamond Oops came back to finish a credible fourth in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park in January.

“We go one race at a time,” Biancone said. “We're going race by race. We'll see how we go. It's a long way. We'll see. I cannot say, 'yes.' I cannot say, 'no.'”

Julien Leparoux has the call aboard Diamond Oops.

David Bernsen LLC and Jeffrey Lambert's Lasting Legacy also enters the Mr. Prospector after running in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, in which he was beaten by 6 ¾ lengths in a ninth-place finish after being claimed for $80,000 out of his previous race. The 6-year-old son of Tapizar finished second behind Diamond Oops in the Mr. Prospector last season.

Trainer Bob Hess Jr. named Paco Lopez to ride Lasting Legacy.

Thumbs Up Racing LLC's Sleepy Eyes Todd enters the Mr. Prospector off a victory on the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup card, having captured the Lafayette by 1 ½ lengths after closing from 12th. True Timber, who finished second, came back to win the Cigar Mile. The Miguel Silva-trained 4-year-old son of Paddy O'Prado had won the Charles Town Classic (G2) two starts prior. Tyler Gaffalione is scheduled to ride Sleepy Eyes Todd for the first time Saturday.

R. A. Hill Stable's Majestic Dunhill finished seventh in the Fall Highweight (G3) at Aqueduct in his most recent start but rates consideration Saturday off a victory in the Bold Ruler (G3) at Belmont in his previous start. Trainer George Weaver awarded the mount aboard the 5-year-old son of Majesticperfection to Joe Bravo.

Shadwell Stable's Haikal, who captured the Gotham (G3) at Aqueduct last year for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, is scheduled to make his first start for trainer Todd Pletcher Saturday off nearly a 10-month layoff. Luis Saez is slated to ride the 4-year-old son of Daaher for the first time.

My Purple Haze Stables' Cool Arrow, the winner of the Sept. 6 Smile Sprint (G3) at Gulfstream, is scheduled to seek his fifth victory in eight starts over the Gulfstream strip in the Mr. Prospector. The Terri Pompay-trained son of Into Mischief will be ridden by Edgard Zayas.

Rounding out the field are Wind of Change, Last Judgment, Ebben and Zenden.

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