Trainer Christophe Clement sent a number of his stable stars to breeze over the inner turf Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., led by Otter Bend Stables' multiple Grade 1-winner Gufo [:48.66], who worked a half-mile in company with Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Peter Searles, and Patty Searles' graded-stakes placed New York-bred City Man [:49.26].
Clement said Gufo, a 4-year-old son of Declaration of War, is likely to make his next start in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf on November 6 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., while City Man will target the $200,000 Mohawk at Belmont on Empire Showcase Day October 30.
“It was a good work. City Man in front; Gufo further back and finished very willing,” Clement said. “Gufo looked great. He will work back next week and then probably go to the Breeders' Cup. I'll speak to the owner today to make sure, but as long he's on board that's the plan.”
Gufo captured the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational last October and added the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer to his ledger this summer at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Last out, the handsome chestnut settled for third in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic on October 9 over firm Belmont turf.
“He's one of the leading older horses on the grass in the country and I'm very happy with him,” Clement said.
Clement said the versatile City Man, a stakes-winner on dirt and turf, would prefer firmer footing in the 1 1/16-mile Mohawk.
Jump Sucker Stable's last-out Grade 3 Futurity-winner Slipstream [:51.14] breezed a half-mile in company with West Point Thoroughbreds', Chris Larsen, and Titletown Racing Stables' last-out Grade 3 Matron runner-up Gal in a Rush [:51.02].
“It was a good work. They both worked well and finished up very willingly,” Clement said.
Slipstream, by More Than Ready, captured the six-furlong Futurity on October 10 and is targeting the one-mile Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf on November 5 at Del Mar, while Gal in a Rush, by Ghostzapper, will point to the six-furlong $100,000 Stewart Manor for juvenile fillies here November 6.
Slipstream, who graduated at third asking sprinting seven furlongs over the Belmont turf in September, has seen his Beyer figures improve in each start, registering an 80 for his Futurity score.
“He's improving as he gets older and more mature. He's a nice horse,” Clement said.
Clement noted that last Sunday's Floral Park-winner Too Sexy, Slipstream's 4-year-old half-sister by Quality Road out of the Stormy Atlantic mare Cake Baby, will target the $150,000 Autumn Days at six furlongs on the turf at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., on November 28.
Oak Bluff Stables' Therapist worked a half-mile solo in :50.40 in preparation for either the seven-furlong $100,000 Oyster Bay against open company on Friday or the Mohawk versus fellow state-breds on Saturday.
The 6-year-old Freud gelding, bred by Clement with Oak Bluff Stables, boasts a record of 27-9-3-6 with purse earnings of $715,865.
“He tries very hard. He's a great horse to own because you know he will always try his best,” Clement said.
Therapist ran second to Somelikeithotbrown in last year's Mohawk.
Moyglare Stud Farm's Beautiful Lover [:51.06] went a half-mile in company with Michael Dubb and Michael J. Caruso's New York-bred stakes-winner Classic Lady [:51.02].
The multiple graded-stakes placed Beautiful Lover is on target for the 12-furlong $150,000 Zagora on October 31, while Classic Lady will enter the Ticonderoga on Empire Showcase Day.
Last Sunday, Clement sent out the one-two finishers in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, with Al Shira'aa Farms' Mutamakina edging Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Rebecca Hillen's La Dragontea in the 10-furlong turf test.
“They both ran great. It was a big deal – the E.P. Taylor is a major race,” Clement said.
Mutamakina captured the Grade 2 Dance Smartly at Woodbine in August and Clement said the 5-year-old Nathaniel mare, who provided jockey Dylan Davis his first Grade 1 win, would make her next start in the 12-furlong $400,000 Grade 3 Long Island on November 27 at the Big A.
La Dragontea, a 4-year-old daughter of Lope De Vega, won the nine-furlong Grade 2 Canadian at Woodbine in September. She was recently supplemented to the Fasig-Tipton November Sale.
Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Darlene Bilinski's Senbei sprinted to a four-length score in the six-furlong New York Breeders' Futurity on October 18 at Finger Lakes Race Track in Farmington, N.Y.
Bred in the Empire State by Dr. Jerry Bilinski, the Candy Ride chestnut graduated at first asking in July at Saratoga and followed with a front-running win in the 6 ½-furlong Funny Cide in August at the same track.
Clement said he's enjoying the ride with the 2-year-old who has won 3-of-4 career starts and will now target the $100,000 Notebook at six-furlongs for state-breds on November 21 at the Big A.
“He won well. He's fun. He just keeps winning,” said Clement with a laugh.
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