Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior) has scored half of his 14 lifetime victories at Belmont and looks to add to that Saturday as the favorite in the GII John A. Nerud S., a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint S. Victorious in this event last year in his second start for the Kelly Breen barn, the Mr. Amore Stable homebred was off the board in his next two attempts in the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. and GI Forego S. at Saratoga. Returning to winning ways back at Belmont in the GII Vosburgh Invitational S. in September, the bay checked in third in the Breeders' Cup in November and closed out 2020 with a close second in Gulfstream's GIII Mr. Prospector S. Making his 2021 bow at Belmont, he captured the GIII Runhappy S. May 8 and followed suit in the GII True North S. June 4.
Previously trained by Greg Sacco, MGISW Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) makes his first start for the Todd Pletcher barn here. He hasn't seen the winner's circle since March 2020 when he captured the GIII Tom Fool H. at Aqueduct. Runner-up in the GI Carter H. in April, he failed to fire when seventh in the GI Churchill Downs S. last time May 1.
American Power (Power Broker) enters off a third-place finish in the True North. He captured the GIII Toboggan S. earlier this term. Also exiting the True North is fourth-place finisher Wicked Trick (Hat Trick {Jpn}), who finished a solid second in the GIII Westchester S. in his prior start May 1.
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