Firenze Fire scoring in the Jerome, Coglianese/NYRA Photo
A contentious field looms for the $300,000 Gotham Stakes (Gr.3), on Saturday, March 10. Nine colts are lining up to do battle for the event, with each one eyeing the same coveted prize that awaits the horse that crosses the wire first. A whopping fifty points toward the Kentucky Derby will be awarded to the winner, bringing Saturday’s victor ever closer to entering the gates for the illustrious Kentucky Derby.
One of the colts entered in the Gotham Stakes that I think has a major chance to sweep to victory is Firenze Fire. This battle-tested son of Poseidon’s Warrior may be flying a little under the radar when it comes to the Kentucky Derby, but I think that he is a major player when it comes to the Gotham Stakes. This colt is going to be a serious contender on race day, and I expect him to relish this one-turn event.
Firenze Fire has been a brave and consistent runner ever since he broke his maiden at the age of two. Driven by determination, Firenze Fire has crossed the wire first four times in seven career starts, including victories in the Sanford Stakes (Gr.3), Champagne Stakes (Gr.1), and the Jerome Stakes. He ran second in the Withers Stakes in his previous start, but went down in defeat with admirable dignity. This tenacious runner fought the entire way to the wire, never giving up and never yielding. Even when it became apparent that he wasn’t going to pass the brilliant Avery Island, Firenze Fire ran on and finished the race, testifying his valor.
The fact that Firenze Fire refuses to give up speaks volumes about what type of athlete he is. Firenze Fire has an endless amount of class and heart, and the unmistakable fortitude that will carry him far. He is the type of horse that you can depend on to show up and give it his all. Win or lose on Saturday, you can count on Firenze Fire to be right there in the thick of it when the field comes barreling down to the wire.
Another top competitor in the Gotham Stakes is Free Drop Billy. This flashy son of Union Rags was previously entered in the Fountain of Youth Stakes, but scratched out of it to run in the Gotham instead. To date, Free Drop Billy has ended up in the winner’s circle twice out of six career races, with one of his wins coming in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (Gr.1), at the age of two.
Free Drop Billy’s lone race as a three-year-old came with a strong effort in the Holy Bull (Gr.2), in the beginning of February. The hulking, blazed chestnut came roaring down the stretch to finish a very game second to runaway winner, Audible, and has since been training very forwardly as he gears up for his next battle.
With a solid race now under his belt, Free Drop Billy has a big chance to improve in the Gotham Stakes. With a pedigree that is loaded with class and stamina, Free Drop Billy has the making of a horse that you would expect to see in the Kentucky Derby. He will get another chance to earn his way there this weekend, and as strong and fit as he has been looking, I think it’s safe to say that Free Drop Billy’s chances of making the gate are very real for the first Saturday in May.
Dial Operator is a long shot to keep an eye on in the Gotham Stakes. Saturday's run will be his first attempt against stakes company, but this speedy son of Dialed In deserves to be considered. He is a perfect 2-for-2 so far, and is fresh off of a 4 1/2 length romp in his last start at Laurel Park. Dial Operator has never raced beyond 5 1/2 furlongs, so the mile distance of the Gotham Stakes will bring additional challenge along with the jump up in class. However, Dial Operator appears to be a quality racehorse, and has a very real chance to hit the board.
Another major player in the Gotham Stakes is the regally bred colt, Enticed. This strapping, mahogany son of Medaglia d’Oro and It’s Tricky finished off the board in his last race, but it was an effort that I am willing to draw a line through. After only one poor race, I am not ready to count this colt out just yet. Dismiss Enticed at your own risk, because I expect him to improve dramatically in this race.
Enticed broke his maiden with ease in his first start as a two-year-old, and then followed it up with an impressive third place finish behind multiple stakes winner, Firenze Fire, and eventual Breeders’ Cup Juvenile champion, Good Magic. Enticed entered the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (Gr. 2) after that, where he displayed nothing but undeniable courage and determination. He boldly hooked up with Tiz Mischief in the stretch where the tenacious duo proceeded to fight each other tooth and nail for the entire length of the stretch. Refusing to relent, Enticed stubbornly dug in and raged on, flinging his head out as far as it would stretch and keeping it there. Enticed emerged from a dramatic photo finish victoriously, proving that he had the will and the strength to fight for glory.
Enticed sat out of the races for the rest of his two-year-old season, and returned in February to embark on his journey as a freshly turned three-year-old. He entered the Holy Bull Stakes (Gr.2), but finished a troubled fourth. It was not the result that you would expect from a horse that had been so promising the year before, but the Kiran McLaughlin trainee did have some excuses. For starters, it was his first start of the year, so he probably wasn’t as fit and cranked as he should have been. Along with that, Enticed was also forced to carry 122 pounds, which was six pounds more than what the winner had to carry. As if that weren’t enough, Enticed was also faced with a challenging post position on the rail, and the track was not playing kindly to the inside part of the track that day. When Enticed broke from post one, he was impelled to hustle out of the gate and run close to the pace. It was irrefutable challenge, as Enticed is a horse that prefers to hang back and make a closing move later in the race. Going against his running style proved futile, as Enticed was unable to make the lead despite his attempt. As a result, he was stuck behind horses, eating their dirt almost the entire way around. Being taken out of his element and having to use early speed when he wasn’t fully cranked, combined with his unfavorable position in the race could have undoubtedly been his undoing that day.
As dominant as Audible was when he won the Holy Bull, it is safe to say that Enticed probably wouldn’t have defeated him had his circumstances been better that day. With that being said, I do think that Enticed is much more talented than he appeared. This big, graceful colt has already shown glimmering signs of potential and class in his first three races, and should only be stronger off of his last effort. With his royal bloodlines and obvious hints of promise, it is way too soon to overlook this colt off of one poor race. I am very interested to see what he can do moving forward. His breeding and running style suggest that the testing 1 ¼ mile distance of the Kentucky Derby should be right up his alley, and I hope to see him make it there. For now, it will be up to him to pave his way and secure a spot in America’s greatest race. On Saturday, we’ll see what he’s truly made of.
Enticed, Coglianese/NYRA Photo
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