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After Third-Place Finish In Breeders’ Cup Sprint, Firenze Fire To Stretch Out In Cigar Mile

Trainer Kelly Breen said Mr. Amore Stable's multiple graded-stakes winner Firenze Fire will make his next start in the Grade 1, $250,000 Cigar Mile on Dec. 5 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

“He's back at Belmont and that's what we're pointing for,” said Breen.

The 5-year-old Poseidon's Warrior bay rallied from 11th to finish third last out in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint on Nov. 7 at Keeneland Racetrack under Jose Lezcano.

“It was a good race,” said Breen.

Breen said Lezcano, aboard for Firenze Fire's Grade 2 Vosburgh Invitational win on Sept. 26 at Belmont, will retain the mount for the Cigar Mile.

Top contenders confirmed for the Cigar Mile include Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby-winner King Guillermo and 2019 Grade 3 Discovery-winner Performer. Other horses under consideration for the Cigar Mile include New York-bred millionaire Mr. Buff and last-out Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap-winner Majestic Dunhill.

Breen took over training duties for Firenze Fire earlier this year and has saddled the horse to a record of two wins from six starts, including a victory in the Grade 2 True North on June 27 on a fast Belmont main track. Two of Firenze Fire's losses for Breen came in Grade 1 events – the Carter Handicap at Belmont and the Forego at Saratoga – on sloppy tracks.

The Cigar Mile Day card also includes a pair of Grade 2, $150,000 nine-furlong events for juveniles in the Remsen and its filly counterpart, the Demoiselle, as well as the Grade 3, $100,000 Go for Wand Handicap for fillies and mares at one mile.

Breen will send out New Jersey-bred Pickin' Time, a John Bowers, Jr. homebred, in the Remsen. The Stay Thirsty colt earned an 82 Beyer Speed Figure last out, winning the Grade 3 Nashua at a one-turn mile on the Big A main.

“He came out of it in good order,” said Breen.

Breen said Mr. Amore Stable's New York homebred It's a Gamble could target the $100,000 Central Park, a 1 1/16-mile turf tile for juveniles on Nov. 28 at Aqueduct.

“I'm not sure what we're going to do, but that is a possibility,” said Breen.

The English Channel bay graduated at first asking in a state-bred turf sprint on Aug. 13 at Saratoga ahead of a fourth in the one-mile Nownownow on Oct. 4 on the Monmouth Park turf. Last out, on Oct. 31, It's a Gamble bobbled at the start of the 1 1/16-mile Awad on yielding Belmont turf and failed to menace when seventh.

Gary and Mary West's Full Impact, a 3-year-old Street Sense colt, earned a 94 Beyer for his impressive 4 1/2-length score in a first-level allowance on Nov. 13 contested at 6 1/2-furlongs on a sloppy and sealed Big A main.

Out of the multiple graded stakes winning Even the Score mare Four Gifts, Full Impact was purchased for $140,000 at the Keenland September Yearling Sale.

Breen said no future targets have been set as of yet for the promising colt.

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‘A Fun Horse To Have’: Weaver Weighing Options For Majestic Dunhill

Trainer George Weaver said R.A. Hill Stable's Majestic Dunhill, who made the grade last out in the Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap at Belmont Park, will make his next start at Aqueduct in Ozone Park, N.Y., in either the six-furlong Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap or the Grade 1 Cigar Mile.

The 5-year-old Majesticperfection gelding was game to the wire to win the seven-furlong Bold Ruler by a head over Share the Ride on a muddy Belmont main track. Weaver said he will take a close look at how both the Fall Highweight and Cigar Mile fields shape up before deciding.

“We'll see how both races come up. I'm sure the Cigar Mile will have some heavyweights in there,” said Weaver. “Majestic Dunhill is a gelding, so we're not looking to establish stud value with him. We're trying to make as much money as possible and spot him as best we can. The way the two fields stack up will factor heavily in our decision. He's a fun horse to have.”

Majestic Dunhill, who earned a career-best 100 Beyer winning the Bold Ruler, boasts a record of 21-5-4-4 with purse earnings of $373,214.

Weaver said he may also have a contender for the Cigar Mile undercard with Brereton C. Jones' Dollar Mountain in the Grade 2, $150,000 Demoiselle at nine furlongs on the main track.

The dark bay daughter of Upstart garnered a 64 Beyer Speed Figure when graduating by 5 1/2-lengths at second asking on Oct. 16 in an off-the-turf 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight contested on a sloppy and sealed Belmont strip.

“Dollar Mountain broke her maiden nicely and she could be in consideration for the Demoiselle,” said Weaver.

Jim and Susan Hill's Lead Guitar, a 4-year-old daughter of Maclean's Music bred in New York by Windylea Farm, will look to run her win streak to four in the $100,000 Autumn Days, an open six-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up slated for Nov. 29 at the Big A.

The talented bay launched her career in June 2019 under Weaver's care, including a third-out graduation on the Saratoga turf under Luis Saez.

After making the first four starts of her 4-year-old campaign for trainer Eddie Kenneally, including a restricted Aug. 20 optional-claiming sprint score on the Saratoga turf, Lead Guitar returned to Weaver's care and captured an open optional-claiming turf sprint on the front end on Sept. 20 at Belmont ahead of a rallying score in the open Floral Park on Oct. 17 over six furlongs of soft turf at Belmont.

Weaver said the filly, who sports a record of 10-5-2-1 with purse earnings of $235,678, likes to win races.

“She's a New York-bred and she has a lot of talent and that helps her knock out some wins,” said Weaver. “She's consistent in open company races too and she's developed into a really nice turf sprinter.”

R.A. Hill Stable and Gatsas Stables' Vekoma was retired from racing and will stand stud at Spendthrift Farm in 2021. The Candy Ride chestnut spiked a temperature in the build-up to what was to be his final career start in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland.

“He was training great. We had some feet trouble with him over the summer and we got him going right and he ended up developing a fever when it was time to go over there and run,” said Weaver. “It was disappointing, but we're so proud of the horse and he's going on to his second career. We're all really happy for him.”

A six-time winner from eight starts with more than $1.2 million in purse earnings, Vekoma graduated on debut in September 2018 at Belmont Park and followed with a score in the 2018 Grade 3 Nashua at the Big A.

The popular chestnut added the 2019 Grade 2 Blue Grass to his ledger at Keeneland ahead of finishing 12th in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby. Vekoma was perfect in three starts this season, including Grade 1 wins at Belmont in the Runhappy Carter Handicap in June and the Runhappy Met Mile in July.

“He provided us with many memories. The Blue Grass win was special but to come back and win the Carter and Met Mile, those are big races, too,” said Weaver.

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Astute Upsets Private Mission To Win Del Mar’s Desi Arnaz In A Romp

LNJ Foxwoods' Astute, a chestnut filly by sprint champion Speightstown who fetched $425,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale last year, had all of her speed Saturday at Del Mar as she ran away and hid from five rivals in the featured $100,500 Desi Arnaz Stakes at the seaside track north of San Diego, Calif.

Taking her cues from a pair of Hall of Famers — trainer Richard Mandella and rider Mike Smith – Astute went head-and-head with the odds-on favorite Private Mission through splits of :22.21 and :45.30 for the first half mile of the 6 1/2-furlong dash, shook that one off turning for home, then drew out to a sparkling 7 1/2-length tally in a final time of 1:17.28.

Finishing second was Saragol Stable Corp and Johana Viana's Queengol, a nose in front of Watson, Pegram and Weitman's Heels Up.

Astute was making only the second start of her career and her first in a stakes. She had won a straight maiden race on grass at Santa Anita last month in her debut.

“Wow, That's what I've got to say,” said Smith. “I knew she was good; I just didn't know she was this good. She was good on the grass the other day (winning a straight maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs), but she's even better on the dirt.”

“The owners and the manager — Alex Solis Jr. — told me before I ever saw her that she's special and it's kind of held true,” said Mandella. “She got a little sick on me in the summer and I had to give her a month off, so that's why she's a little late (starting her career). I only put her in the maiden turf (debut win on October 12 at Santa Anita) because I knew she could do turf and I was afraid a dirt race the next day wouldn't fill. I expected she'd run well today, but maybe not this well. We'll think about the Starlet.”

The Grade 1 Starlet over 1 1/16-miles at Los Alamitos will be run Dec. 5.

Astute paid $12.20, $5.40 and $5.20. Queengol returned $5.60 and $4.20, while Heels Up paid $6.00 for the show.

LNJ Foxwoods is the nom du course of Larry, Nanci and Jaime Roth of Great Neck, N.Y. Mandella also trains the top grass horse United for the outfit.

Leading rider Abel Cedillo added a pair of winners to his totals after seven days of racing and now shows 12 firsts. Trainer Mandella won another race on the card and now has five firsts for the meet, second in the conditioner's standings to Peter Miller's six.

Racing resumes at Del Mar tomorrow starting at 12:30 p.m. with a nine-race card.

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Jersey-Bred No Cents Invades Laurel For James F. Lewis III Win; Street Lute Takes Smart Halo

Isabelle de Tomaso and Hope Jones' homebred No Cents, making his local and stakes debut off back-to-back wins out of town, corralled favored Dalton in mid-stretch and edged past for a comfortable 1 1/4-length victory in Saturday's $100,000 James F. Lewis III at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

The ninth running of the Lewis was the second of two six-furlong juvenile sprint stakes on the Salute to Veterans Day program, preceded by the 24th renewal of the $100,000 Smart Halo for fillies, won by Street Lute.

No Cents ($10.80) completed the distance in 1:09.16 over a fast main track to give jockey Trevor McCarthy his third straight Lewis win and fourth overall. He also finished first with eventual graded-stakes winner El Areeb in 2016, Scrap Copper in 2018 and Newstome in 2019. Winning trainer Cal Lynch also trained El Areeb.

“I definitely wanted to leave a little something in the tank and not overdo it with him. He's a 2-year-old so hopefully we'll have a bright future with him,” McCarthy said of No Cents. “Cal seems to always have these colts ready, so big credit to him. It's just a huge privilege to me. They made me look good today.”

Dalton, beaten a neck when second to subsequent Nashua (G3) winner Pickin' Time last out, showed good early foot and established the lead before Lugamo, riding a two-race win streak, worked over from his outside post to be in front after a quarter-mile in 22.05 seconds. McCarthy settled No Cents in fifth and was still looking at a wall of horses when the field rounded the far turn.

Lugamo maintained a slim margin after a half in 45.02 but was quickly overtaken by Dalton at the top of the stretch. At that point, McCarthy tipped No Cents to the middle of the track and set his sights on Dalton, steadily gaining ground before wresting the lead away inside the eighth pole.

It was 2 1/4 lengths back to Lugamo in third and another three to Texas Basin, followed by Heir Port, Kenny Had a Notion, Singlino and Fearless Fly. Kenny Had a Notion had won his two previous races, both in Laurel stakes, one each on the turf and dirt.

“We had a great trip. We had a good break and I was happy to get a good position and be able to follow [Dalton]. That was kind of my target to run with, so it was nice,” McCarthy said. “We were able to save ground and get a nice little breather and when we came past the five-sixteenths pole, I was just being patient with him. I knew I had a ton of horse underneath me and I was just kind of seeing where [Dalton] went.

“As soon as I tipped outside of him I just gave him a nice target to run at,” he added. “When I wanted him to finish up strong, he did, and when I wanted him to take a little bit of a break at the wire when I knew I kind of had it, he settled down. He's very push-button. He does everything you want him to do.”

A bay son of Goldencents out of the Petitionville mare Faker, No Cents made each of his first three starts in New Jersey, where he was bred. Second by a length in debut Aug. 29, he won a maiden special weight against state-breds Sept. 27 before a game neck open allowance triumph Oct. 21.

The $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Futurity for state-bred/sired horses Dec. 5 and $100,000 Heft Dec. 26 are the final two stakes for 2-year-olds at Laurel in 2020.

Street Lute Delivers in $100,000 Smart Halo Victory
Lucky 7 Stables' Street Lute, beaten at the wire in the Maryland Million Lassie in her previous start, slipped through a seam on the inside around the turn and quickly separated from the field to rebound with a 2 3/4-length victory in Saturday's $100,000 Smart Halo.

It was the second career Smart Halo win for trainer Jerry Robb following Lake Sebago in 2014, and first for jockey Xavier Perez. The winning time was 1:09.85.

The Lassie Oct. 24 at Laurel, where she came up a neck short of Miss Nondescript, was the first career loss for Street Lute ($5) following a pair of wins, including a front-running five-length score in the Small Wonder Stakes Sept 26 at Delaware Park.

“It's definitely a little bit of redemption. In the Maryland Million she had to chase the speed and hold off closers, and she didn't see the horse coming or I think she might have won that race,” Robb said. “She thinks she won it, so we tell her she did.”

Street Lute rated in third in the early going Saturday as 30-1 longshot Donnybrook Girl broke running and zipped the opening quarter-mile in 21.69 seconds pressed by recent maiden winner Be Sneaky. Perez stayed patient and took advantage of a narrow opening midway around the turn to establish the lead, drawing clear once straightened for home. Out of Sorts trailed the field in the early going, ranged up on the far outside and closed steadily down the center of the track for second, with Be Sneaky another length back in third.

Prodigy Doll, Swirling Dancer, Docs Seven, Donnybrook Girl and Supreme Blessing completed the order of finish.

“The instructions were to try and get a good break and see. I thought [Prodigy Doll] might go and she didn't. You definitely don't know what they're going to do so you have to leave it up to the jockeys,” Robb said. “He let [Donnybrook Girl] go and laid right off of her and somehow he got through. It worked out perfect.”

Robb said the $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship for state-bred/sired fillies Dec. 5 at Laurel will be the next likely target for Street Lute.

“We'll keep her in Maryland for now,” he said. “The Juvenile will probably be next.”

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