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Clement Says Gufo Still A Maybe For Breeders’ Cup Turf

Otter Bend Stables' Gufo remains in training for the $4 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf, but trainer Christophe Clement said he has still not officially committed to the race.

The chestnut son of Declaration of War was third in last Saturday's Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., six weeks after earning an entry into the Turf when capturing the “Win And You're In” Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Clement said a breeze next weekend will likely determine Gufo's Breeders' Cup status.

“We are training him to go to the Breeders' Cup at the moment,” Clement said. “I will speak to [Otter Bend Stables owner] Mr. Cainelli in the coming week for the plan and we'll make a decision. He'll breeze next weekend and then we'll assess him after the work.”

Never out of the money in a baker's dozen lifetime starts, Gufo captured the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational last October and the Grand Couturier in July at Belmont. He was a respective second and third in his first two starts of the year in the Man o' War and Manhattan, both Grade 1 races at Belmont. He has banked earnings of nearly $1.2 million.

On Saturday morning, Clement breezed his graded stakes-placed pair Soldier Rising and City Man in company over the Belmont inner turf in :47.20.

Second in the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational and Jockey Club Derby Invitational, the last two legs of the Turf Triple series, Soldier Rising will target the $400,000 Grade 2 Hill Prince next Saturday at Belmont Park.

City Man, a three-time New York-bred stakes winner, will make his next start in the $200,000 Mohawk as part of a lucrative Empire Showcase Day on October 30.

“They worked a touch quick, but they worked well,” Clement said. “They came back in good order and are in good shape so far. Solider Rising will go to the Hill Prince and City Man is on target for the Mohawk.”

Soldier Rising will see a significant cutback in distance in the nine-furlong Hill Prince after finishing second in the Jockey Club Derby at 1 ½ miles.

“With the way he worked today, I think he'll be okay,” Clement said.

Also on the work tab for Clement was Moyglare Stud Farm's four-time winner Beautiful Lover, who went an easy half-mile in :52.10. The 5-year-old Arch mare will target the $100,000 Zagora on October 31 at Belmont.

“She worked well. It was a slow, but by design. She finished up nicely,” Clement said.

A last-out fifth in the Grade 3 Fasig-Tipton Waya on October 3, Beautiful Lover defeated eventual graded stakes-placed Miss Teheran in a 1 1/16-mile allowance optional claiming tilt on June 27 at Belmont. She secured a stakes win in capturing the Boiling Springs in 2019 at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., and earned graded stakes black-type last season when second in the Grade 2 Hillsborough at Tampa Bay Downs in Tampa, Fla., and the Grade 3 Matchmaker at Monmouth.

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Breeders’ Cup Presents Connections: Lobo In Love With His Keeneland Turf Mile Winner

Good horses seem to arrive in threes for trainer Paulo Lobo.

Opening weekend at Keeneland delivered results that may have Lobo saddling three Breeders' Cup contenders this year, as Brazilian-bred In Love powered to an authoritative lead in the stretch of the Grade 1 Keeneland Turf Mile while accomplished stablemate Ivar, another Brazilian-bred, finished fourth. The victory earned In Love a spot in the G1 Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 6, and Lobo said Ivar (who won Keeneland's Shadwell Turf Mile last year) may go to the Mile as well if he can get a spot. Ivar finished fourth in last year's Breeders' Cup Mile. In September, Argentine-bred Imperador held off a late bid from Arklow to win the G2 Calumet Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs, earning a spot in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf.

All three runners are co-owned by Bonne Chance Farm and Stud R.D.I. LLC.

“It's my first year to try to take three horses,” Lobo said. “I'm very happy. You need to enjoy the moment. It's not easy to have three good horses in the barn at the same time.”

Although it will be Lobo's first time taking multiple shooters to a Breeders' Cup, it won't be his first appearance there.

Lobo is a fourth-generation horseman who grew up going to the racetrack with his father in his native Brazil. He has a brother who is an auctioneer and an uncle who is a veterinarian. Training horses was a foregone conclusion for him, and he's happy about that. Lobo began as an assistant to his father in 1987 and hung out his own shingle eight years later, quickly becoming the youngest trainer in Brazil to win a race at the age of 26.

But for Lobo, the dream was always to train in the United States.

Trainer Paulo Lobo

“Since I started, way back in '87, I always wanted to try here in America,” he said. “Following the good horses, the good trainers, the good jockeys. I don't know, something inside me, I always wanted to try it here.”

He came to this country at the start of 2001. At the time, he was the American outpost for a Brazilian owner who had bought five yearlings out of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in fall 2000. One of the five was a filly Lobo said he knew was special from the start.

“She was an exceptional filly,” he said. “Since the beginning, since when I started to breeze them, she was very precocious. She won first time out at Del Mar at a mile, very impressively. The first half-mile, when she worked for me, I was very pleased with her.”

That bay filly turned out to be Farda Amiga, would win the 2002 G1 Kentucky Oaks and G1 Alabama before finishing second in the Breeders' Cup Distaff that year. She won the 2002 Eclipse Award for Champion 3-Year-Old Filly, giving Lobo a red-hot start to his American career. The next year, he had graded stakes winner Quero Quero in his barn, who brought him a win in the G2 Honeymoon Breeders' Cup Handicap and seconds in the G1 Milady Breeders' Cup Handicap, G3 Wilshire, and G3 Las Cienegas. Another year later, he brought Pico Central (BRZ) over from South America and developed one of the most dominant sprinters of the 2004 season, recording G1 victories in the Carter and Metropolitan Handicaps and Vosburgh Stakes in New York and G2 San Carlos Handicap in California.

A trainer simply couldn't hope for better advertising at the start of their career than three horses competing in the graded stakes levels so convincingly.

“Even in my best dream, no [I couldn't have imagined that start]” he said.

Lobo trained in California and in New York before transitioning to his current base in Kentucky. Since many of his clients still have ties to South America's racing and breeding industry, he's accustomed to taking horses like In Love who start their careers south of the equator and are asked to transition to America. He said there's no real pattern to finding out which South American imports will succeed in the States and which won't, and there isn't a particular track or circuit that seems inherently better at helping them make the transition.

Most of the time, Lobo said the trainer or manager in Brazil will tell him which horses on a plane load they think is the most talented on their home turf, but Lobo has found it could easily reverse once they step onto American soil. The lesser of two competitors could thrive while the other may struggle with the tighter turns and fizzle. It takes Lobo four or five months to really know what he's got.

“The transition is not easy,” he said. “Some really good horses, sometimes they don't ever show up. It happens.”

In Love, Lobo said, was one who came to him with a respectable, if not dazzling resume at home, and then took some time to settle in. He was from the same crop as Imperador and Ivar, and they were all turned out together when they were young. The trainer who sent Lobo the horse had the highest hopes for In Love, but it took him some time to validate that faith.

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Although he won an allowance at Keeneland impressively last year, In Love ran relatively disappointing races in the next three starts. Lobo took him to Arlington Park in search of friendlier competition and noticed the horse dawdled on the lead, focusing on his competitors to his inside instead of the wire. Lobo added blinkers and saw a big improvement with a victory in the TVG Stakes at Kentucky Downs one month prior to the Turf Mile.

True to the horse's name, Lobo said In Love is a kind soul around the barn, making his job easier. He feels good about the horse's chances in the Breeders' Cup Mile. If anything, he thinks In Love could be just as happy running farther – someday.

“He's bred for more distance, this horse,” he said of the son of the Sunday Silence stallion Agnes Gold. “No doubt about it – he can go a mile and a quarter, even a mile and a half. But he's working well this way, let's keep it this way.”

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Addeybb On Course To Bid For Repeat In QIPCO Champion Stakes

Last year's winner Addeybb is firmly on course for a bid to become the second dual winner of the QIPCO Champion Stakes since it was moved to Ascot in 2011 as the centerpiece of QIPCO British Champions Day. The Champion Stakes is a “Win and You're In” for the Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 6.

Addeybb is set to face stellar opposition, with Cazoo Derby and King George VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes winner Adayar still a possible runner, alongside Juddmonte International winner Mishriff and the winners of many more of the world's top middle-distance races.

William Haggas, who also plans to run the talented but frustrating Al Aasy and the supplemented three-year-old Dubai Honour, reports the popular 7-year-old “in as good shape as we could possibly have him”. If successful he would become the Champion Stakes' oldest winner since 1887, when Bendigo won a Newmarket running of the race at the same age.

Addeybb, who was also second to Magical two years ago, is among 14 possibles for the race, 10 of whom are already winners at Group 1 level.

Haggas said: “We are very pleased with Addeybb's condition. We'd like rain for him, and the more the better, but it doesn't look as if we are going to get it. I'd be surprised if it was quick ground though, as it was so wet there at the last meeting, and he'll run.

“I'd have loved him to have had a run, as it's a top, top race, but he goes well fresh and he can win off a lay-off. His last two weeks have been really good.”

He added: “Dubai Honour is a nice young horse who has won two Group 2s. He's doing very well physically and he's a pretty useful horse. This will be a big rise in class for him but we've got nothing to lose. I'm running Al Aasy too, and he's not without hope, dropping back in trip. Everyone questions him bar me, but he's a very, very talented horse.''

Mishriff was down the field 12 months ago but has had a massive year, taking his earnings past the £11m mark with wins in the Saudi Cup, the Dubai Sheema Classic and the Juddmonte International as well as places behind St Mark's Basilica in the Coral-Eclipse and Adayar in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes.

John Gosden, who is now in partnership with son Thady and is looking to add to his two runaway wins with Cracksman, has freshened Mishriff up since his stunning six-length defeat of Alenquer and Love in the Juddmonte International at York and is pleased to see the ground drying up.

Gosden said: “We've been happy with Mishriff since York and we are looking forward to running him again. It's always one race at a time, but we wanted to space his races in case we go on to run later in the year, possibly at the Breeders' Cup.

“It looks like being a good race and we should get better ground than last year, when he really didn't like it. He can handle soft, but last year it became specialists' ground. Full marks to all of the winners that day, but it's hard to quicken on that stuff.”

A decision upon the participation of Adayar is unlikely to be made until later in the week, but the Charlie Appleby-trained Qatar Prix De L'Arc De Triomphe fourth would be a fascinating contender for Godolphin, who were last successful with Farhh in 2013. Only Sir Ivor (1968) and New Approach (2008) have won both the Derby and the Champion Stakes in more than 50 years.

Aidan O'Brien, who won with Magical two years ago, can choose between two outstanding fillies in Love and Snowfall, both of whom are dual Classic winners, but they have also been confirmed for the QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes. O'Brien has also confirmed his Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes winner Bolshoi Ballet.

Other possibles include the Irish 2000 Guineas winner Mac Swiney and the high-class French three-year-old Sealiway, who was one place behind Adayar in the Arc, having won a Group 1 on the same weekend 12 months previously, plus Qatar Nassau Stakes winner Lady Bowthorpe, who has also been confirmed for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (sponsored by QIPCO).

Full Entries

Addeybb (IRE)
Al Aasy (IRE)
Euchen Glen (GB)
Helvic Dream (IRE)
Mishriff (IRE)
Lady Bowthorpe (GB)
Love (IRE)
Adayar (IRE)
Bolshoi Ballet (IRE)
Dubai Honour (IRE)
Foxes Tales (IRE)
Mac Swiney (IRE)
Sealiway (FR)
Snowfall (JPN)

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Clement: No BC Decision Yet For Gufo, Pizza Bianca Possible For BC Juvenile Filly Turf

Trainer Christophe Clement was gallant in defeat after Otter Bend Stables' Gufo finished third as the favorite in Saturday's $500,000 Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Guided by regular pilot Joel Rosario, Gufo displayed his usual rear-of-the-field tactics as defending non-consecutive Joe Hirsch winner Channel Maker established command through the early stages. Approaching the far turn, Rosario gave the 4-year-old Declaration of War chestnut his cue and he responded quickly, powering to the front nearing upper stretch. But Rockemperor came with a sweeping wide move in the final furlong-and-a-half and drew away to a two-length score.

Clement expressed some uncertainty regarding pointing Gufo to the $4 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif. He earned an automatic entry into the race when capturing the Grade 1 Resorts World Sword Dancer on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

“Gufo ran a great race. He came back a little stiff from his race yesterday, but not bad,” Clement said. “We'll live to fight another day. The winner was impressive. No decision has been made yet. I'll have to see how he comes out of it a week-to-10 days before we commit to the Breeders' Cup.”

In rounding out the Joe Hirsch trifecta, Gufo maintained a never-off-the-board record in a baker's dozen starts, which include victories in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational last October and the Grand Couturier in July at Belmont. He was a respective second and third in his first two starts of the year in the Man o' War and Manhattan, both Grade 1 races at Belmont.

One race prior to the Joe Hirsch, Clement saw his maiden-winning juvenile filly Gal in a Rush display a devastating turn of foot to run second at 29-1 odds in the $150,0000 Grade 3 Matron.

“She ran huge. It was a very good performance, I loved the way she ran,” Clement said. “She was out of it in last, swung out four or five wide, and showed a great turn of foot. Unfortunately, she did not win but I loved the performance.”

Not all was lost on Saturday for Clement, who saddled a trio of winners on the program. In the second race, he sent out impressive first-time starter Shad Nation for owners Wonder Stables, Madaket Stables, and Golconda Stable. The daughter of Cairo Prince earned a 73 Beyer for a 1 ¾-length victory going 1 1/16 miles over the Widener turf.

“She's a nice filly,” Clement said. “She never showed that much on dirt all summer long so we switched her back on turf, and moved her to Saratoga in early September. All of her works have been nice. Every single one of them. She's obviously a very nice filly with the way she won yesterday.”

Clement said Shad Nation could target the $100,000 Tepin on November 28 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

“At the moment, if she trains well, the Tepin would make sense. But you have to deal with the ground and that kind of thing,” Clement said.

Clement also saddled West Point Thoroughbreds-owned Phantom Smoke and Voodoo Zip to respective victories.

Phantom Smoke, a son of Ghostzapper bred in New York by Kathleen Schweizer and Daniel Burke, defeated winners for the first time in a six-furlong allowance event over the inner turf.

Voodoo Zip scored a third lifetime win with a narrow victory going six furlongs over the inner turf at allowance optional claiming level. The son of City Zip has never finished off the board in a dozen lifetime starts.

On Sunday morning, Clement worked Grade 1-placed juvenile filly Pizza Bianca over the inner turf in :50.02. Owned and bred by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, the daughter of Fastnet Rock was second in the Grade 1 Natalma in September at Woodbine after a first-out victory at Saratoga.

Clement said Pizza Bianca is possible for the $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on November 5 at Del Mar.

“At the moment, we're not for sure, but she will train [like we're running in] the Breeders' Cup,” Clement said.

Clement also stated that Waterville Lake Stable's New York homebred Derrynane, winner of the September 19 Woodbine Cares, will point to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

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