Vosburgh | Horse Racing Free Tips

NYRA Partners With Keeneland For Two-Day Breeders’ Cup Challenge Pick 6

The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA) will host a two-day Breeders' Cup Challenge Pick 6 this weekend featuring select races from the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series presented by America's Best Racing from Belmont Park and Keeneland's Fall Stars weekend.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series consists of the best races from around the world and awards each winner an automatic and free entry into the Breeders' Cup World Championships slated for Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar.

This weekend's sequence kicks off Saturday at Belmont Park with the Grade 2, $250,000 Vosburgh [Race 5, 2:45 p.m. Eastern], a six-furlong test for 3-year-olds and up led by Big Sandy specialist Firenze Fire. The talented field of five includes the upwardly mobile Baby Yoda and versatile Following Sea vying for an all-expenses paid berth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Action switches to Keeneland for the next two legs, beginning with the one-mile Grade 1 First Lady [Race 8, 4:44 p.m.] on the Haggin turf course. The Charles Appleby-trained Althiqa, who won the Grade 1 Just a Game at Belmont and the Grade 1 Diana at Saratoga earlier this summer, headlines a loaded field that features Chad Brown-trained entrants Viadera, Blowout, and Regal Glory competing for a berth in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

In Race 10 from Keeneland at 5:46 p.m. – the Grade 1 Keeneland Turf Mile [Breeders' Cup Mile] – the Aidan O'Brien-trained Order of Australia, returns to the course where he captured last year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile. A wide array of talented challengers include last year's Turf Mile winner Ivar; last-out Grade 3 Kentucky Downs Mint Million-winner Pixelate; and Grade 2 Bernard Baruch champ Tell Your Daddy.

The second half of the wager continues Sunday from Belmont with the Grade 3, $150,000 Futurity [Juvenile Turf Sprint], at six furlongs on turf for 2-year-olds in Race 5 at 2:43 p.m. Leading the way is filly Chi Town Lady, winner of the Bolton Landing for trainer Wesley Ward and the improving Midnight Worker, who makes his turf debut for Hall of Fame Todd Pletcher.

The sequence concludes with a pair of races from Keeneland, starting with the Grade 1 Spinster [Distaff] at nine furlongs for fillies and mares, slated as Race 9 at 5:15 p.m.

St. George Stable's Letruska has won her last four starts, including a last-out half-length score in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign on August 28 at Saratoga. Bonny South, runner-up in the Personal Ensign, and millionaire Dunbar Road are among the top contenders.

The 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Bourbon [Juvenile Turf] brings the sequence to a close with Tiz the Bomb, last-out winner of the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile headlining an overflow field of juveniles in Race 10 at 5:46 p.m. Eastern.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is $1 and will feature a low 15 percent takeout and mandatory payout of the net pool. Wagering on the Breeders' Cup Challenge Pick 6 is available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country.

Free Equibase past performances for the Breeders' Cup Challenge Pick 6 sequence will be available for download. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

Two-Day Breeders' Cup Challenge Pick 6 – October 9/10, 2021:

Leg A: October 9 – Belmont, Race 5 – G2 Vosburgh
Leg B: October 9 – Keeneland, Race 8 – G1 First Lady
Leg C: October 9 – Keeneland, Race 10 – G1 Turf Mile
Leg D: October 10 – Belmont, Race 5 – G3 Futurity
Leg E: October 10 – Keeneland, Race 9 – G1 Spinster
Leg F: October 10 – Keeneland, Race 10 – G2 Bourbon

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Equibase Analysis: Good Effort The One To Catch In Vosburgh

Saturday's Grade 2, $250,000 Vosburgh Stakes is a “Win & You're In” for the Breeders' Cup Sprint. Although only drawing a field of five, there is not one horse entered who is without a chance to succeed. Since the group is small, I'll dispense with the normal listing of their qualifications and cover all five horses in detail.

Good Effort (IRE) has won eight of 29 career races, all on turf or all-weather. However, he has run big races on dirt, specifically when missing by a neck in a 13 horse field this past March in the Group 3 Mahab Al Shimaal Stakes in Dubai on a left handed course like the one at Belmont. Overmatched in the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen Stakes after that, Good Effort (IRE) rebounded to miss by three-quarters of a length in a group 3 stakes in the U.K. after making the lead and holding on until very late in the race. Overmatched once more in the Group 1 Darley July Cup Stakes and the Group 2 King George Qater Stakes, the latter run at five furlongs on grass, Good Effort (IRE) rebounded to lead from start to finish in a very fast six and one-half furlong race in France on all-weather last month.

From January through November 2020, Good Effort (IRE) won four straight races, in three of the four making the lead shortly after the start and easily holding the front to the end. Adding blinkers to insure he does the same as in Europe and Dubai, considering he earned very consistent ™ Equibase® Speed Figures of 108 to 110 in his top efforts, Good Effort (IRE) has a shot to surprise the local contingent and win this year's Vosburgh Stakes in front running fashion.

Following Sea cuts back from seven furlongs to six furlongs which may be the key to a top effort. He finished third and well behind the top two finishers in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes in August, but those two horses (Jackie's Warrior and Life is Good) both won their next starts in top stakes company. Before the Jerkens, Following Sea finished third when trying two-turns for the first time in the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes, an irrelevant experiment in my opinion. Prior to the Haskell, Following Sea won easily by six and one-half lengths at Belmont and prior to that he won by five and three-quarter lengths at this six furlong trip, earning a career best 110 ™ figure good enough to win this race. Cutting back to his best distance gives Following Sea a good shot to do just that and he's another likely to be a bit ignored in the wagering compared to others in this year's Vosburgh.

Firenze Fire is likely to be favored on the strength of his big effort at the end of August in the Grade 1 Forego Stakes. In the Forego, Firenze Fire went head-and-head with eventual winner Yaupon for the final quarter mile, even trying to bite his foe multiple times in the stretch run. That effort earned a strong 112 figure, similar to the 113 figure earned two races before that when second in the Grade 2 John A. Nerud Stakes at Belmont. Winner of the 2020 Vosburgh with a 116 figure, Firenze Fire shows up with his “A” game nearly every time he runs and must be respected as a contender.

Baby Yoda is one of two three year olds in the field, the other Following Sea. He is the most lightly raced horse in the group, having run four times, but he has improved markedly in each race, starting with an 84 figure effort, then 91, then 97 and finally 111 in his most recent race. That most recent effort on September 4 was visually impressive as Baby Yoda easily drew off to a four and one-quarter length victory. Trainer Bill Mott knows this young horse still has improving to do and that is why he puts him in a stakes race for the first time, as that 111 figure matches up well with the 112 figure Firenze Fire earned in the similar Grade 1 Forego Stakes one week before Baby Yoda's last win.

Jalen Journey has won eight of 16 career races including three of nine at this six furlong trip. All four of his stakes tries in the U.S. were excellent efforts, starting with a runner-up effort in the Grade 3 Smile Sprint Stakes in June 2019 in which he led late and missed by less than a length to a top sprinter in Diamond Oops. Since returning from Dubai in May of this year, Jalen Journey has finished first or second in all four races, most recently when crossing the line second but moved up to first in the Grade 3 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Stakes when the winner was disqualified for interference. That effort earned a 108 figure and just prior to that Jalen Journey earned a career-best 111 figure, another effort on par with the best of this group

Top Win Contenders:
Good Effort (IRE)
Following Sea

Vosburgh Stakes – Grade 2
Race 5 at Belmont Park
Saturday, October 9 – Post Time 2:45 PM E.T.
Six Furlongs
Three Years Olds and Upward
Purse: $250,000

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‘Rockstar’ Firenze Fire Headlines ‘Win And You’re In’ Vosburgh

Mr. Amore Stable's Firenze Fire returns to his preferred oval of Big Sandy as he looks to defend his title in Saturday's Grade 2, $250,000 Vosburgh going six furlongs over the main track for 3-year-olds and upward, at Belmont Park.

The Vosburgh is a “Win And You're In” qualifier and offers the winner an automatic entry into the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint on November 6 at Del Mar. The prestigious sprint race honors Walter S. Vosburgh, the official handicapper for the Jockey Club and New York racetracks from 1894-1934.

Trained by Kelly Breen, Firenze Fire, who captured last year's Vosburgh by 2 ¾ lengths, will try to join Joe Schenck [1940-41], Dr. Fager [1967-68], Sewickley [1989-90], Private Zone [2013-14] and Imperial Hint [2018-19] as horses to notch back-to-back Vosburgh triumphs.

A 14-time winner over seven different racetracks, Firenze Fire has claimed most of his success at Belmont which accounts for seven total victories.

While Firenze Fire has developed a reputation for his affinity for Belmont Park, he garnered a new image last out in the Grade 1 Forego on August 28 at Saratoga where he attempted to savage Yaupon in a memorable stretch duel, ultimately coming up a head shy of victory.

“It's amazing. I must have watched it a hundred times,” said owner Ron Lombardi. “It's amazing how he stayed with Yaupon while trying to bite him through at least four strides. Another two strides he would have won it, not that he would have stayed up. It's made him a rockstar. It may have cost me a few dollars, but he's definitely getting a lot of attention.”

A 6-year-old son of Poseidon's Warrior, Firenze Fire has won a graded stakes race at Belmont Park in four of the last five years, including a win in the 2017 Champagne which is his only Grade 1 victory to date.

“He's won at seven tracks, but he's won the most at Belmont, and loves that surface,” Lombardi said. “He's just such a solid horse and he showed his athleticism last time out in the Forego.

Firenze Fire scored back-to-back runnings of the Grade 2 True North in the past two summers. He was a close second to two-time Vosburgh winner Imperial Hint in the 2019 Vosburgh.

“It could've been three times, but that's part of the game,” said Lombardi.

Should Firenze Fire move forward to the Breeders' Cup Sprint off the Vosburgh, it would mark a fifth straight Breeders' Cup appearance previously finishing: seventh [2017 Juvenile], fourth [2018 Dirt Mile], fifth [2019 Sprint] and third [2020 Sprint].

Lombardi has not ruled out a 7-year-old campaign for Firenze Fire.

“He's still at the top of his game. I've had offers, but I may run him next year,” Lombardi said. “I would love to do that. I think it would be so cool. The fans love him. He's a fan favorite and he elevated that with his antics last time. It would be great to have him run back, so we'll see.”

Irad Ortiz, Jr., who has engineered winning trips in eight of Firenze Fire's 14 victories, will return to the irons from post 4.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will target his fourth Vosburgh coup with Spendthrift Farm homebred Following Sea. The 3-year-old son of Runhappy has never finished off the board in five starts, which include a pair of Grade 1 placings. After being elevated to second via disqualification in the nine-furlong Haskell Invitational in July at Monmouth Park, he finished a distant third to Jackie's Warrior and stable mate Life Is Good in the seven-furlong H. Allen Jerkens in August at Saratoga.

Following Sea earned a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure when defeating winners going 6 ½ furlongs on June 3 at Belmont.

“He's talented and I thought he ran pretty well in the Allen Jerkens. He reacted to the dirt in his face for a while, but he finished up decently,” Pletcher said. “The Haskell may have been a little too far a little too soon, but he's held good company and had a good win over the track here over the summer.”

Pletcher said the distance should be right up his alley.

“He broke his maiden going six and won the allowance here going six-and-a-half, so hopefully it suits him,” Pletcher said.

Joel Rosario will ride from post 5.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott will saddle Baby Yoda, who last out was victorious against older winners going 6 ½ furlongs on September 4 at Saratoga. The third lifetime victory for the 3-year-old son of Prospective produced a 114 Beyer Speed Figure, which is the co-highest figure to be recorded by a horse this year.

Previously trained in Maryland by Charles Frock, Baby Yoda won at first asking for a $10,000 tag on May 30 two starts ahead of winning his first outing for Mott in a July 17 starter allowance at Saratoga.

Baby Yoda is owned by Wachtel Stable, Pantofel Stable and Jerold Zaro and will leave from post 3 under Luis Saez.

[Story Continues Below]

Rabbah Bloodstock's Good Effort will add blinkers for his first start in North America, entering off an allowance win over the all-weather surface at Deauville.

Trained by Ismail Mohammed, the 6-year-old son of Shamardal was a three-time sprint stakes winner over the synthetic surface at Longfield Park in England last year. His best effort on dirt took place in the Group 3 Mahab Al Shimaal in March at Meydan Race Course when second beaten a neck.

Good Effort will be ridden by Wayne Lordan from post 2.

Completing the field is Rockingham Ranch and David Bersen's Jalen Journey, a winner via disqualification last out in the Grade 3 Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash at Laurel Park for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Jalen Journey, a 6-year-old ridgling son of With Distinction, boasts a consistent 16-8-2-1 record with just over a half-million dollars in lifetime earnings.

Breaking from post 1, Jalen Journey will be piloted by Jose Lezcano.

The Vosburgh, slated as Race 5, is part of a lucrative 11-race card that also features the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic [Race 7] at 12 furlongs on turf for 3-year-ols and up; and the Grade 3, $150,000 Matron [Race 6] at six furlongs on turf for juvenile fillies. First post on Saturday is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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Breen: Breeders’ Cup Sprint Contender Firenze Fire ‘As Honest As They Come’

Mr. Amore Stable's Firenze Fire galloped 1 1/8 miles Thursday morning at Keeneland in preparation for his fourth career Breeders' Cup start in Saturday's Sprint.

The 5-year-old son of Poseidon's Warrior will make his first Breeders' Cup start for trainer Kelly Breen, who accepted him and approximately 20 Mr. Amore Stable runners into his stable last winter from the barn of indicted trainer Jason Servis.

“It took a while for me to see the horse because of the pandemic. I was in Florida. My assistant, John Attfield, sent me pictures and videos to show me how well he looked. I've seen him race before, but it was a while before I laid eyes on him,” said Breen, who recently saddled Firenze Fire's 3-year-old sister, Firenze Freedom for an allowance win at Belmont Park. “He's a nice looking horse. He's got a lot of muscle. He's straightforward. He trains well. He does everything we ask of him.”

Firenze Fire has won two of five starts for Breen with two subpar showings coming over off tracks. He made his first start for Breen with a fourth-place finish in the June 6 Carter Handicap on a sloppy Belmont strip and won his first race for his new trainer three weeks later in the True North over a fast Belmont track. Firenze Fire was beaten two lengths while finishing fourth in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt at Saratoga before running 11th over a sloppy track at Saratoga in the Forego.

“The only bumps in the road I've had with him were on off tracks. He doesn't like the mud,” Breen said. “You throw those couple races out and he's as honest as they come.”

Firenze Fire rebounded from his Forego disappointment with a 2 ¾-length victory in the Vosburgh at Belmont, which was a “Win and You're In' Breeders' Cup Challenge Series race.

“We were extremely excited when he won a 'Win and You're In' because there's no contemplating, because you're going once you've got a 'Win and You're In' under your belt,” Breen said. “He showed that he belonged, and the 'Win and You're In' stamps your ticket to the Breeders' Cup.”

Breen wouldn't have had to contemplate long to determine that Firenze Fire deserves a shot at a Sprint victory Saturday.

“I look at the Thoro-Graphs and the Ragozin sheets. He runs fast. His bounce numbers seem to be on an off track, and his numbers are fast enough to put him in there with this bunch,” he said.

Firenze Fire, who captured the Champagne at two, finished off the board in the 2017 Breeder's Cup Juvenile at Del Mar. He finished fourth in the Dirt Mile at Churchill Downs in 2018 and fifth in the Sprint last year at Santa Anita.

Breen will also be seeking his first Breeders' Cup success after notching third-place finishes with 2011 Belmont Stakes winner Ruler On Ice (2011 Classic) and multiple graded-stakes winner Pants on Fire (2014 Dirt Mile).

“Pants On Fire reminds me of this horse. Pants on Fire didn't win a stakes as a 2-year-old and this horse did, but he won a stakes as a 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7-year-old,” Breen said. “Knowing a little about what it takes to keep a horse going at an older age reminds me a lot about Firenze Fire.”

Jose Lezcano, who was aboard for his Vosburgh score, has the return call aboard Firenze Fire in the Sprint.

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