Andiamo a Firenze aims to match brother with Champagne win

New York homebred Andiamo a Firenze will look to follow a family tradition when taking on the Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne next Saturday at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet for trainer Kelly Breen. The Champagne offers a “win and you’re in” berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 4 at Keeneland.

Andiamo a Firenze, by Speightstown and out of the Langfuhr mare My Every Wish, is a three-quarter brother to multiple graded stakes winner Firenze Fire, who won his only Grade 1 race in the 2017 Champagne over eventual Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Good Magic.

Firenze Fire, a Florida homebred for Ron Lombardi's Mr. Amore Stable, was conditioned by Breen through the final two seasons of his career. A Champagne victory would make Andiamo a Firenze and Firenze Fire the first siblings to win the prestigious event since Bold Lad (1964) and Successor (1966), both of whom were out of two-time champion Misty Morn.

Andiamo a Firenze will enter the one-mile Champagne off a victory against state-breds in the Funny Cide on Aug. 26 at Saratoga Race Course. He tracked a wide third down the backstretch before taking command around the far turn and drawing away to a 5 1/2-length victory.

He has since breezed an easy five-eighths over the Belmont training track in 1:04.12 on Sept.17.

“He’s doing well, everything’s good with him,” Lombardi said. “It would be amazing to win it obviously after having had Firenze Fire. It’s going to be a difficult race, I’m sure. It’s always a tough race no matter what. But he’s doing great and we’re real excited for the opportunity.”

A four-length debut winner in June at Belmont Park, Andiamo a Firenze stepped up to open company graded stakes level in the Sanford (G3) on July 16 at Saratoga. Similar to his last effort, he tracked a wide and close third down the backstretch and appeared poised for victory around the far turn. He battled with eventual winner Mo Strike to his inside down the stretch but gave way past the furlong marker to finish third beaten 3 3/4 lengths.

“We know what happened in that race and we’ve moved on from it. We’re in a much better spot,” Lombardi said.

Lombardi also campaigns November Rein, a New York homebred who was a last-out sixth in the Test (G1) on Aug. 6 at Saratoga for Breen. The 3-year-old daughter of Street Boss won last year’s Seeking the Ante at Saratoga and finished third in her 2022 debut in the Bouwerie on May 30 at Belmont Park. She recorded her first breeze back from the Test on Sept. 11, going a half-mile in 49.49 seconds over the Belmont main track.

Lombardi, who was vacationing in Sicily, said he and Breen have not discussed a next start for November Rein, although the $150,000 Iroquois on Oct. 30 going 6 1/2 furlongs for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up could be a logical target.