Watch: horse tries to bite rival in dramatic finish to Saratoga Grade 1

The hunger of a horse to win can usually rarely be questioned, but there was certainly reason to do so at Saratoga on Saturday as Firenze Fire spent much of the home straight trying to bite the winner Yaupon in a dramatic running of the Forego Stakes.

The Steve Asmussen-trained Yaupon bounced out of the gate to lead in the seven-furlong Grade 1 as he attempted to make all under Ricardo Santana, but was soon challenged turning into the home straight by Firenze Fire, ridden by Jose Ortiz.

A thrilling battle to the line turned into even greater drama as Firenze Fire attempted to savage Yaupon on multiple occasions – snatching a portion of his bridle in his mouth in the process – so handing the advantage to the 2-1 favourite, who went on to score by a head.

Had Firenze Fire focused on the race rather than his rival, he may well have won, while for Yaupon, who was on the rail, it was a good job his tongue was lolling out to the left rather than the right, otherwise his opponent would have had something else to munch.

"That was kind of scary," said Santana, quoted by Bloodhorse. "That's never happened to me before and the only thing I could think was, 'Don't stop riding'."

The winning trainer added: "The finish made it that much more dramatic. I will watch that replay many times in the future. For that to happen in a Grade 1 at Saratoga with two horses on the lead, that will be memorable."

It is not the first time Firenze Fire has been involved in such an incident after he was the victim of an attempted savaging by Whereshetoldmetogo when winning the Grade 3 Gallant Bob Stakes at Parx in 2018.

The in-running comment for Firenze Fire

Chased leader, pressed leader 3f out, ridden inside 2f out, challenged from 1 1/2f out, driven and led narrowly 125yds out, soon cocked head and bit rival and headed, kept on again close home

While Ortiz felt the biting episodes cost his mount the race, Firenze Fire's trainer Kelly Breen was simply in shock at his stable star's misbehaviour.

"He went after him two times in four full strides," he said. "He's a tough cookie. I have never seen him do anything like that before."

The pair could be set for a fascinating rematch later in the year, as both are leading candidates for the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar on November 6.

Another leading candidate for that race, Jackie's Warrior, won the following Grade 1 at Saratoga, the H Allen Jerkens Memorial, after another thrilling ding-dong, though both the winner and the neck runner-up Life Is Good kept their mind on the job.

Breeders' Cup Sprint (Nov 6)

Sky Bet: 9-2 Firenze Fire, Yaupon, 11-2 Jackie's Warrior, 8 Dr Schivel, 9 CZ Rocket, 16 bar

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The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a three-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday