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Firenze Fire, who spent the first part of the year chasing the Kentucky Derby dream, will make his next start in the Grade 3, $300,000 Gallant Bob Stakes going six furlongs at Parx Racing on Sept. 22, trainer Jason Servis said Wednesday.

Servis chose the Gallant Bob over the Grade 2, $300,000 Kelso, going a mile at Belmont on the same day, because the Gallant Bob is restricted to 3-year-olds. Also, it could open up the possibility of running in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

“If he ran good we’d have to entertain both,” Servis said, referring to the Sprint and the Dirt Mile.

Firenze Fire, who finished 11th in the Kentucky Derby, won the Grade 3 Dwyer going a mile by nine lengths on July 7, then ran third, beaten 1 3/4 lengths, in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens going seven furlongs at Saratoga on Aug. 25. He has not raced at six furlongs since he won the Grade 3 Sanford at Saratoga in his second career start in July 2017.

Servis said Sunny Ridge, most recently ninth in the Grade 1 Woodward at Saratoga, is under consideration for the $150,000 Pennsylvania Derby Champion Stakes at 1 1/16 miles or the Kelso at Belmont, both on Sept. 22.

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ELMONT, N.Y. – Travers winner Catholic Boy will forgo a prep race and will train up to the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs, trainer Jonathan Thomas said Wednesday.

Following the Travers, which Catholic Boy won by four lengths, Thomas had said that he might look to use the Hill Prince, a 1 1/8-mile turf race for 3-year-olds at Belmont on Oct. 6, as a stepping-stone to the Classic. But upon further review, Thomas and his ownership group – headed by Robert LaPenta – felt training Catholic Boy up to the Classic is the preferred way to go.

“After taking a little time and going through his [past performances] and what’s worked for us in the past, the smartest move is training up to the Classic,” Thomas said by phone Wednesday from Lexington, Ky., where he was attending the Keeneland yearling auction.

Catholic Boy will have 10 weeks between the Travers and the Classic. He had 10 weeks between races after he won the Remsen and finished second, beaten a half-length, in the Sam. F. Davis at Tampa in February. He had nine weeks between the Florida Derby, where he was fourth, and the Penine Ridge at Belmont, a turf race that he won.

Thomas said he’s “a huge fan” of trainer Bob Baffert’s work and noted that that both American Pharaoh, in 2015, and Arrogate, in 2016, were 3-year-olds who won the Classic without having raced since the Travers.

“It’s a recipe that’s worked well, not that I’m putting him in the same category of American Pharoah and Arrogate,” Thomas said. “It seems like a good way to approach that race.”

Thomas said Catholic Boy would likely ship from Saratoga to Churchill “in the next week or two” and get four or five workouts over the main track in preparation for the Classic.

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ELMONT, N.Y. – Sister Sophia surprised even her trainer, Jorge Abreu, when she came with an eye-catching rally to go from last in a field off 11 to first in a first-level allowance race going 5 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga last month.

“The way she ran really impressed me that day,” Abreu said. “I don’t think she really wants to do 5 1/2. Three-quarters is better for her.”

Sister Sophia will get three-quarters of a mile when she returns to her favorite surface Friday in a second-level allowance/optional $62,500 claimer that serves as the featured event on Belmont Park’s nine-race card.

Sister Sophia is 4 for 14, with three of those wins coming at Belmont. Two of those three wins came at six furlongs, including a New York-bred second-level allowance victory here last September.

For Abreu, Sister Sophia has two wins and three seconds from six starts. She finished fourth to La Moneda – a subsequent stakes winner – going a mile here in June.

“A mile is not for her,” Abreu said.

Judging by her last performance, soft turf – which could very well be the case Friday – is for Sister Sophia, who handled give in the ground just fine at Saratoga.

“It was pretty soft,” Abreu said. “She didn’t mind it. She can run on both.”

Manny Franco has the call on Sister Sophia.

Franco is also named to ride Play Unified, who is entered to run only if the race is moved to the dirt. She won a similar race in the mud at Belmont in June. She was offered for the optional claiming price of $62,500 that day and is entered for that price on Friday as well.

KEY CONTENDERS

Sister Sophia, by Tale of the Cat
Last 3 Beyers: 84-76-79
◗ Won as easy as she pleased rallying from last despite a moderate pace last month.
“That’s just her style,” Abreu said. “She breaks with them and then she takes herself out of the race.”

Quality Time, by Exceed and Excel
Last 3 Beyers: 84-81-78
◗ Doesn’t win very often as her 2 for 13 record would suggest, but she has enough speed to be a factor in this spot under Joel Rosario.
“Big question mark is going to be the [soft] ground,” said Christophe Lorieul, assistant to trainer Christophe Clement. “It’s coming back a bit quick, but the filly’s doing okay.”
◗ Lorieul felt that Quality Time’s fourth in this condition at Saratoga was one of her better races.
“The quality of the field and the way she ran,” he said. “She was right there and she just gave up the last sixteenth of a mile.”

Sugar Queen, by Gemologist
Last 3 Beyers: 74-74-67
◗ Returns from 11-month layoff with a solid work tab for trainer Todd Pletcher.
◗ Finished third, beaten one length, in her lone try sprinting on turf, the Bolton Landing Stakes 13 months ago at Saratoga.

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ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The late-blooming Stronach Stable runner Delta Prince has been made the 5-2 morning line favorite in a field of nine for Saturday’s Grade 1, $800,000 Woodbine Mile.

Delta Prince made quite a splash on a sweltering day in his lone Woodbine outing June 30 in the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes, when he flirted with the one-mile course record during a decisive score.

Trained by Jimmy Jerkens, Delta Prince will start from post 3 under Javier Castellano, who was aboard when the 5-year-old finished a close second Aug. 11 in the Grade 1 Fourstardave at Saratoga.

“According to Jimmy, he’s doing great,” said Stronach Stable racing manager Mike Doyle.

Oscar Performance is the 7-2 second choice, with Jose Ortiz riding for trainer Brian Lynch. A multiple Grade 1 winner, Oscar Performance has worked regularly since being pulled up when favored in the Grade 1 Arlington Million on Aug. 11.

The Europeans Lord Glitters and Stormy Antarctic had their flight from Amsterdam delayed this week due to mechanical problems.

The ultra-consistent Lord Glitters (4-1) is coming off a Group 3 victory at York, which came on the heels of a third-place finish behind Lightning Spear in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes at Goodwood. His trainer, David O’Meara, won this event in 2015 with Mondialiste. Jamie Spencer has the mount.

Stormy Antarctic (8-1), a Group 2 winner in Germany, wound up third last time out in the Group 2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood. Gerald Mosse will ride him for trainer E.C.D. Walker.

The popular Mr Havercamp (6-1) romped over a modest group in the local prep for the Mile, the Grade 2 Play the King, run on yielding ground. Trainer Catherine Day Phillips will give leading local rider Eurico Da Silva a leg up on Mr Havercamp, who is unbeaten in four starts over Woodbine’s roomy course.

The Grade 1-winning millionaire Divisidero (8-1) has been idle since ending up third behind Voodoo Song and Delta Prince in the Fourstardave.

Rounding out the field are Good Samaritan (10-1), La Sardane (15-1), and Vanish (20-1).

Saturday’s 12-race program also includes a top-notch edition of the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf, headed by Hawkbill. Reigning Canadian Horse of the Year Pink Lloyd will be favored in the Grade 3 Bold Venture. The Grade 2 Canadian and the $100,00 Sweet Briar Too Stakes are also on the card.

Sunday’s excellent 11-race card includes the Grade 1 Natalma, the Grade 1 Summer, and the $100,000 Vice Regent Stakes.

The Woodbine Mile, a Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re in qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Mile, will be broadcast in Canada on TSN 2 from 4-5 p.m. Eastern. Carded as race 8, the Woodbine Mile has a post time of 4:48 p.m.

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