Coglianese Photos/Joe Labozzetta
By Sarah Mace
For the second straight year Backwards Stable homebred Fire Key earned a trip to the winner’s circle in Belmont’s $100,000 Floral Park Stakes for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up. Her determined effort on Saturday also allowed her to turn the tables on a familiar rival.
A game competitor with tactical speed, Fire Key joined forces in the Floral Park with jockey Julian Pimentel for the second straight time. Their most recent joint effort came in the Sensible Lady Stakes at Laurel Park on September 21, a race which Fire Key won in 2018. This year, after being marooned in post 10 of 12 by the draw, they had to settle for second, a half-length behind Floral Park rival Goodwood. For the Floral Park Fire Key drew the one-hole.
Popping out of the gate like a cork as the narrow 2-1 post time favorite (2.10-1), Fire Key staked out her position at the rail as a joint-third, while the speedy Goodwood (2.15-1), riding a five-racing winning streak, took control of the pace. Covered up and saving ground until midway through the turn, Fire Key angled out two-wide for the drive.
Ears pinned with determination, Fire Key drew even with Goodwood in midstretch, edged into the lead just past the furlong marker and kept to her task to secure the win by neck in a strong final time of 1:08.29.
Coglianese Photos
The remainder of the close-packed field stampeded home behind her. When a photo sorted out the remaining placings, Goodwood held for second, a head in front of Fear No Evil (3-1), a nose in front of Dynatail (12-1). Longshot Lady Mamba finished a neck further back while Mominou was eased to finish last. Misericordia and I’llhandlethecash were scratched. [VIDEO REPLAY]
Fire Key’s victory in the six-furlong tilt over the Widener turf bolstered her already impressive record over the track and at the trip. In ten Belmont turf starts, the 6-year-old dark bay New York-bred daughter of Friesan Fire has collected five wins and three seconds. In 12 tries at six furlongs, she has seven wins and four seconds.
Pimentel reported, “We just had a perfect trip. A couple speed horses went ahead, and I just sat behind them. When it was time, I moved, and she had plenty of horse to get home. Going into the turn, I was pretty confident, and I knew I had enough horse to get there. I think the distance made the difference today, going from five and a half [furlongs in the Smart and Fancy at Laurel] to three-quarters [of a mile]. I was sitting forwardly placed and when I asked her, she responded.”
Trainer Jim Ryerson has had Fire Key in his care for six starts, resulting in two stakes wins and three seconds. He also felt the six-furlong distance was exactly what the doctor ordered. “The three-quarters really seems to help her. She hasn’t won going five and a half [furlongs] in a while. You have to ride her a little bit to get the position you want to get, and going three quarters, she’s able to get that without any difficulty and she has more left to finish. Unlike seven-eighths, which is a little far, she’s able to hold off horses going three quarters. It just hits her in the head.”
As to Fire Key’s success at Belmont, Ryerson opined, “I think the wideness of the turns helps. She’s a big filly and at Laurel, she’s on the outside, running hard but not going anywhere.” He continued,” She’s able to get better positions through the turn here. Every aspect seems like it’s better when she’s here. At Aqueduct, it may be different.”
Fire Key’s second Floral Park win was her fifth career stakes victory. She broke through as a black type winner for the first time in Aqueduct’s Autumn Days, her final start of 2017. In 2018, in back-to-back starts, she collected victories in the Sensible Lady and Floral Park. This past April she won the License Fee at Aqueduct. She has five additional stakes placings, including a runner-up finish to Significant Form in the Grade 2 Intercontinental, and her earnings bankroll stands at $735,910.
Foaled at Sun Valley Farm in Ballston Spa, Fire Key is the second foal out of U R Key, an unraced Backwards Stable homebred by Albert the Great. Her second dam Sugar Key (Missionary Ridge GB) was bred in New York by Jill Rich and Edward Michaels II.
The producer of three winners from four to race, U R Key’s first foal was Masterkey (Will He Shine), a Finger Lakes-based six-figure earner. Currently the mare has yearling colt by Micromanage, a weanling colt by Mr. Z and has been bred this year to Bayern.
