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Yibir Returns to America in Man O’ War

Godolphin's Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), named last year's Eclipse champion turf male off of a fast-finishing score in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, will make his first Stateside start since that effort as the likely favorite in a six-horse renewal of the 1 3/8-mile GI Man O' War S. Saturday at Belmont.

Showing just a single Group 3 win in his first nine starts in Great Britain, the chestnut gelding had his breakout performance with a victory in the G2 Sky Bet Great Voltigeur S. last August at York and validated that run with a convincing success in the local Jockey Club Derby Invitational S. before rallying from 13th to get up by a half-length in the Breeders' Cup. Making his 4-year-old debut in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, he closed furiously from last of 15 to just miss, finishing second by a neck. He followed that with a mildly-disappointing runner-up finish as a 1-4 chalk in the G2 Betfair Exchange Jockey Club S. last out Apr. 29 at Newmarket. Regular rider William Buick flies in for the mount.

“We were delighted with his first run back as a 4-year-old in the Sheema Classic. He was a fast-finishing second,” trainer Charlie Appleby told the NYRA notes team. “We know the tracks he loves are the more conventional flat galloping track likes Meydan and Belmont. The American tracks seem to suit him. The race at Newmarket was a prep to come to America. I know he was a beaten favorite on the day, but our European tracks don't seem to suit him so much. We were pleased that we got a run into him and he came out of the race well. I've spoken to the team at Belmont on a daily basis and they're happy with the way the horse has shipped and trained so far.”

Though favored at even-money on the morning line, Yibir has a major rival in Otter Bend Stables' narrow 7-5 second choice Gufo (Declaration of War), who will look to make amends for the worst race of his career behind Yibir in the Breeders' Cup. A hard-fought winner of the GI Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer S. last summer at Saratoga, the chestnut made a huge, early move in the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic S. before flattening out to third over this course Oct. 9, and finished out of the trifecta for the only time in his 15-race career thus far when 10th at Del Mar. Removing blinkers for his 5-year-old bow in the GII Pan American S. Apr. 2 at Gulfstream, the Christophe Clement trainee scored an eye-catching two-length triumph, his sixth black-type conquest.

Second that day was Abaan (Will Take Charge), the only other horse in single digits on the morning line. Prior to that run, the Todd Pletcher pupil picked up back-to-back Gulfstream stakes victories in the two-mile H. Allen Jerkens S. and 12-furlong GIII W. L. McKnight S. before running fourth at 3-5 with a troubled trip in the GII Mac Diarmida S.

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Gufo Returns Running In Pan American

Though he was the clear class of the seven horses signed on for Saturday's GII Pan American S. at Gulfstream Park, Otter Bend Stables' Gufo (Declaration of War) had a November layoff and some off form at the tail end of last season to overcome. But in the end, there was very little to worry about, as the fans on hand for the Curlin Florida Derby were treated to perhaps the most polished performance in the already-productive career of the 5-year-old, who took the 12-furlong test with a fair bit of authority.

Racing with blinkers off in the Pan Am, Gufo fell out of the gates as is his custom and was allowed to lob along near the tail of the field as longshot Tide of the Sea (English Channel) galloped them along at a solid-enough tempo for the distance. A path or two off the inside as they reached the halfway point in 1:14.40, Gufo always traveled well within the grasp of Joel Rosario and was handy enough three furlongs out, but with some traffic up ahead of him. Held together on the turn as chief market rivals Abaan (Will Take Charge) and Temple (Temple City) got the jump on him, Gufo was steered out and around the latter five deep into the lane, found further acceleration with a couple of Rosario reminders, grabbed Abaan a sixteenth of a mile from the finish and proved a much-the-best winner. Abaan, who gave the winner two pounds, easily held second ahead of Novo Sol (Brz) (Agnes Gold {Brz}), who took full advantage of a ground-saving trip throughout.

“It was perfect. He wasn't too far back,” said winning trainer Christophe Clement. “When he asked him to quicken on the outside, he was there for him. We were not thrilled with the blinkers in his last two races last year. Looking back at it, I probably should have [removed them] earlier, but that's OK. We live and learn.”

After turning in too-little, too-late efforts in the GI Man O'War S. and GI Manhattan S. last season, Gufo was equipped with blinkers for the first time and ran out a comfortable winner of the Grand Couturier S. last July. Given a savvy ride by Rosario in the GI Sword Dancer S. in August, the handsome chestnut proved a neck better than Ballydoyle's Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) in August, but the season ended on a bit of a sour note, with a third in the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational S. Oct. 9 ahead of a never-in-it 10th in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. Clement indicated that Gufo would attempt to go one better in the 11-furlong Man O'War, a $700,000 event to be contested at Belmont Park Saturday, May 14.

Pedigree Notes:

One of 43 black-type and seven top-level scorers on three continents for his expatriated sire, Gufo is a half-brother to the versatile fan-favorite Hogy (Offlee Wild) as well as a yearling filly by Preservationist. Floy was most recently bred to another Danzig-line stallion in the form of Hard Spun.

Saturday, Gulfstream
PAN AMERICAN S. PRESENTED BY ROOD & RIDDLE-GII, $200,000, Gulfstream, 4-2, 4yo/up, 1 1/2mT, 2:27.28, fm.
1–GUFO, 122, h, 5, by Declaration of War
                1st Dam: Floy, by Petionville
                2nd Dam: Risen Miss, by Peteski
                3rd Dam: Eddie's Star, by Risen Star
O-Otter Bend Stables, LLC; B-John Little & Stephen Cainelli
(KY); T-Christophe Clement; J-Joel Rosario. $121,520.
Lifetime Record: MGISW, 15-8-2-4, $1,360,030. *1/2 to
Hogy (Offlee Wild), MGSW-US, SP-Can, $1,339,782. Werk
Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross
pedigree.
2–Abaan, 124, g, 5, Will Take Charge–Anchorage, by Tapit.
($280,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners
& Alex Daigneault; B-Rosilyn Polan (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher.
$39,200.
3–Novo Sol (Brz), 118, h, 5, Agnes Gold (Jpn)–Quebra-de-
Braco (Brz), by Wild Event. O-Daniel Alonso; B-Stud
Eternamente Rio (BRZ); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. $19,600.
Margins: 2, 2 3/4, 2. Odds: 1.30, 2.30, 8.80.
Also Ran: Temple, Bakers Bay, Mid Day Image, Tide of the Sea.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Gufo Back To The Races in Pan American

The lone Grade I winner in a field of seven, Otter Bend Stables' Gufo (Declaration of War) looks to take his record over the Gulfstream turf course to a perfect four-from-four in Saturday's GII Pan American S.

After being given too much to do when a near-miss second in the GI Man O'War S. and third in the GI Manhattan S. last spring, the athletic chestnut was equipped with blinkers and validated the decision with a one-length defeat of Tide of the Sea (English Channel) in the Grand Couturier S. at Belmont July 5. He outbattled the globetrotting Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) to earn his first Grade I in the Sword Dancer S. at the Spa Aug. 28, but was a disappointing third after a premature move to the lead in the GI Turf Classic Invitational Oct. 9 and was only 10th in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf when last seen Nov. 6.

“There were perhaps a lot of factors going against him that day, pace being one of them,” trainer Christophe Clement's son and assistant, Miguel, said of the Breeders' Cup. “He had a very bad draw. He never settled throughout the first part of the race because it was a paceless race. He was perhaps a bit too keen, and it was perhaps one race too many for the campaign. Previously he was never out of the money. He is very consistent and he had never run a bad race.”

Should Gufo not be ready to fire something close to his best, Temple (Temple City) could be the chief beneficiary. Another in a series of shrewd claims by trainer Mike Maker when haltered for $80,000 last November, the 6-year-old was an allowance third at Aqueduct the following month, picked up a nice check when runner-up to Abaan (Will Take Charge) in the GIII W.L. McKnight S. over track and distance Jan. 22 and got over the hump with a one-length tally in the GII Mac Diarmida S. over 11 furlongs Mar. 5. Abaan was fourth at 3-5 on that occasion.

Speaking of horses for courses, Patricia Generazio's Mid Day Image (Midshipman) won't be mistaken for the owner's former free-wheeling star Presious Passion (Royal Anthem), but he is possessed of that same front-running prowess that has carried him to five victories and one runner-up effort from seven local appearances.

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Heavy Favorite Abaan Extends Win Streak In W.L. McKnight

Heavy favorite Abaan rolled to a 2½ length victory Saturday in the $200,000 W.L. McKnight Stakes (G3) to extend his win streak to three races.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher won the W.L. McKnight for the fourth time.

Abaan, owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Alex Daigneault, was sent off as the 3-2 favorite in the field of 12 after his easy gate-to-wire victory in the 2-mile H. Allen Jerkens on Dec. 26. Under leading rider Luis Saez, Abaan pressed the pace set by King Cause through early fractions of 25.39 seconds, 50.38, 1:15.43. The 5-year-old son of Will Take Charge seized the lead in the third and final turn of the 1½ miles turf race and had no challengers in the stretch and paid $5.00.

Temple was second in the McKnight for the second-straight year. Media Blitz was third.

$200,000 W.L. McKnight (G3) Quotes

Winning trainer Todd Pletcher (Abaan): “We anticipated that he wouldn't be on the lead today, and we felt like he could be effective without having it. It was nice to see him prove that. I think it opens up a lot of options for him in terms of the way he needs to be ridden.”

“He went to the far turn and he was pretty authoritative when he took the lead and spread the race open right there. It looked like he finished with good energy.”

“There's a lot of options. He's been invited to Saudi for the long race there. We nominated to Dubai. We'll see how he comes out of it and I'll talk to [the owners] and we'll come up with a game plan. He's doing so well here at Gulfstream, there's another option or two here. There are some big prizes we'll have to take a look at.”

Winning jockey Luis Saez (Abaan): “We tried to break from there and see if someone took the lead, we could be in the perfect spot. Everything worked out pretty great, like the plan. When we came to the top of the stretch, he just took off.”

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