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Gufo Much The Best In Sword Dancer At Saratoga

Gufo won his way into the Breeders' Cup Turf with a hard-fought victory in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Toward the back of the pack throughout the 1 1/2-mile stakes, Gufo went two-wide on the final turn to find a clear lane to take the lead in the stretch and outlasted Japan in the race's final yards to get the win.

Breaking from post 2, Joel Rosario on Gufo wrapped up on the 4-year-old colt early, running sixth of seven throughout the first mile as Channel Maker took the lead. After a first quarter in :23.38, Manny Franco on Channel Maker slowed the pace down, the half-mile coming in :48.59 and the six furlongs in 1:14.42. The 7-year-old gelding held on to the lead through the race's final turn, as Rosario moved Gufo out from the rail, going to the outside to find a clear path for their stretch run.

Into the Saratoga straight, Channel Maker and Tribhuvan, 1-2 throughout the race, dueled for the lead as Gufo made his bid down the center of the track, hitting the front within the last eighth of a mile. Japan kicked into gear in the stretch as well, passing Channel Maker and Tribhuvan to challenge Gufo. The Christophe Clement trainee was able to hold on, winning the G1 Sword Dancer by a half-length with Japan second and Cross Border third.

The final time for the 1 1/2 miles was 2:28.30.

The G1 Sword Dancer is a Win and You're In race for the Breeders' Cup World Championships. With his victory, Gufo receives a fees-paid guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the Breeders' Cup Turf, scheduled for Nov. 6 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

Gufo paid $7.10, $3.80, and $2.80. Japan paid $4.00 and $3.10. Cross Border paid $3.70.

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Brown Launches Two-Pronged Attack on Sword Dancer

Chad Brown has two chances to capture his fourth renewal of Saratoga's GI Sword Dancer S. Saturday with morning-line favorite Tribhuvan (Fr) (Toronado {Ire}) and Rockemperor (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). The event is a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf S.

A two-time winner in his native France, Tribhuvan was privately purchased by these connections and moved Stateside to Brown. He scored his first Stateside win in his third attempt in a Belmont optional claimer last summer and was subsequently shelved. Making a victorious return in the May 1 GII Fort Marcy S. at Belmont, the gelding did all the heavy lifting in that venue's GI Manhattan S. June 5, only to be run down by stablemate Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and forced to settle for second. He bounced back with a front-running score in Monmouth's GI United Nations S. July 17.

“He surprised me that he's turned into the frontrunning horse that he is now,” Brown said. “We've gone on with it and he's changed since we gelded him as well. He's developing beyond my expectations and I'm really proud of the horse. He continues to get better.”

Third in the Fort Marcy, Rockemperor was fifth in the Manhattan and scored his first U.S. victory in a 10-furlong optional claimer at Belmont June 26. He was second to Cross Border (English Channel) last out in this venue's GII Bowling Green S. July 31.

“He ran well last time. He's a horse that's always knocking on the door in these bigger races, so hopefully he steps it up here,” Brown said.

Aidan O'Brien is always dangerous when shipping in from Europe and has a strong contender here in Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). Winner of the G1 Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris and G1 Juddmonte International S. in 2019, the bay started this season on a winning note in the G3 Ormonde S. May 6 and was third next out in the G1 Coronation Cup June 4. Failing to fire when sixth in the G2 Hardwicke S. at Royal Ascot 15 days later, he was a narrow winner of the G3 Meld S. last out July 15.

Gufo (Declaratioon of War) seeks his second top-level score here. Winner of the GI Belmont Derby last season, the chestnut came up a nose short in the GI Man o'War S. at Belmont May 8 and rallied to be third in the Manhattan. He captured the Grand Couturier S. going 1 1/2 miles at Belmont last out July 5.

Also worth a look at a price in this event is defending champion Channel Maker (English Channel), who romped by 5 3/4 lengths in this event last term and followed suit with a win in the GI Turf Classic Invitational S. Runner-up in the Neom Turf Cup S. in Saudi Arabia in February, the chestnut could only manage eighth in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic Mar. 27 and was seventh in the Bowling Green last out.

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Maker Talks Next Starts For Cross Border, Somelikeithotbrown

Three Diamonds Farm's Cross Border continued his dominance on the Saratoga turf with a decisive 1 1/4-length score in Saturday's $250,000 Grade 2 Bowling Green at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The 7-year-old New York-bred tracked in third position as Channel Maker and Channel Cat – fellow progeny of English Channel – set the early pace over the inner turf. Luis Saez tipped Cross Border out a path for the stretch run and the dark bay ridgling responded with a powerful turn of foot to secure the win and a 100 Beyer.

Trained by Mike Maker, who tops the Spa trainer standings with 12 wins heading into Sunday's card, Cross Border boasts a record of 7-6-1-0 on the Saratoga turf, including four wins on the inner course.

“The race shaped up like it looked on paper,” Maker said. “We had a great trip and we were fortunate enough to get the job done. He came back super.”

Bred in the Empire State by Berkshire Stud and B.D. Gibbs, Cross Border went 3-for-3 over the local turf in 2019, led by an open allowance score.

Last year, Cross Border stepped things up a notch, winning the state-bred Lubash ahead of a win in the Bowling Green by disqualification. He completed his 2020 Spa campaign with a runner-up effort to Channel Maker in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer.

Maker said Cross Border will now target a return engagement in the $750,000 Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer on August 28. The 1 1/2-mile turf contest for 4-year-olds and up is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” qualifier to the $4 million Longines Turf in November at Del Mar.

Maker said he is hoping to send out another New York-bred for a stakes win this summer when he saddles multiple graded stakes winner Somelikeithotbrown in the $150,000 West Point presented by Trustco Bank, a 1 1/16-mile test for state-breds 3-years-old and up on August 27.

“We have another New York-bred, Somelikeithotbrown, who will show up in the West Point and Cross Border will come back in the Sword Dancer,” Maker said.

Skychai Racing and Sand Dollar Stable's Somelikeithotbrown has made three starts on the Saratoga turf, including a maiden win ahead of a runner-up effort in the 2018 Grade 3 With Anticipation. Last year, the talented bay, bred in the Empire State by Hot Pink Stables and Sand Dollar Stables, won the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch in gate-to-wire fashion.

Maker will also look to secure a Grade 1 win later in the meet with Three Diamonds Farm's Kentucky-bred Army Wife in the $600,000 Alabama, a 10-furlong test for sophomore fillies on August 21.

By Declaration of War, Army Wife will be in search of a graded-stakes hat trick following scores in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., and the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks on July 2 at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa.

Maker, who is four wins clear of Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher heading into Day 14 of the summer meet, credited his staff for the strong start to the meet.

“We have a lot of horses that fit the book well and we're fortunate enough to get some wins,” Maker said. “I know we're on top but we've got a long way to go. It would be great for the staff [to win the meet] and they deserve it.”

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Channel Cat Primed To Take On Saratoga’s Bowling Green

Calumet Farm homebred Channel Cat and his trainer, Jack Sisterson, are no strangers to springing upsets in graded stakes. The duo will look to add another exclamation mark to their collective ledgers in Saturday's Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green, an 11-furlong inner-turf test for older horses, at Saratoga Race Course.

Channel Cat, who is one of three sons of English Channel entered for Saturday's 63rd renewal, captured the 2019 Bowling Green at odds of 13-1 for former conditioner Todd Pletcher. The 6-year-old chestnut, who was transferred to Sisterson's care last year, won a dramatic renewal of the Grade 1 Man o' War in May at Belmont Park at 8-1 by a nose over Gufo, who was a neck better than Bowling Green-rival Moon Over Miami.

The Man o' War score completed a personal trifecta of Grade 1-wins at all three NYRA tracks for Sisterson following Vexatious' [9-1] score in the Personal Ensign last year at Saratoga and True Timber's [7-1] Cigar Mile victory in December at Aqueduct Racetrack

John Velazquez, who has also enjoyed surprise success in the Bowling Green, is tied with fellow Hall of Fame riders Javier Castellano, Jerry Bailey, and Jorge Velasquez for most Bowling Green wins with three. He will look to secure the standalone record victory from the inside post after scores with Turk Passer [1994, 31-1], Cetewayo [1998, 9-1], and Air Support [2012, 7-5].

Channel Cat has posted a trio of recent works at Saratoga, including a half-mile effort in 48.66 seconds Saturday on the Oklahoma training turf.

“He couldn't be doing any better,” Sisterson said. “He's done all his works within himself. On Saturday, John Velazquez worked him and was very happy with him. The key to Channel Cat is keeping him happy and he seems to be going into the race in great shape and happy form. We look forward to a fun summer with him.”

Channel Cat, who has competed over good turf in his last three outings, ran second in the 12-furlong Grade 2 Elkhorn at Keeneland in April ahead of his Man o' War score.

Last out, in the 10-furlong Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan on June 5 at Belmont, Channel Cat pressed the pace and faded to seventh in a race won by Domestic Spending. The second and third-place finishers exited that event to win stakes, including a Grade 1 United Nations coup for the Chad Brown-trained Tribhuvan and a Grand Couturier-score for the Christophe Clement-conditioned Gufo.

“I ran him back in three weeks after the Elkhorn because he was doing so well. I probably should have skipped the Manhattan because he had a tough race in the Man o' War, but we gave him a little break now prior to the Bowling Green,” Sisterson said. “It was good to see Chad Brown's horse come back and win the United Nations so the form held up well.”

Bill Mott, who is tied with fellow Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher for most Bowling Green victories with four, will saddle a trio of contenders, including the reigning Champion Turf Male Channel Maker, graded-stakes winner Red Knight and multiple graded-stakes placed Moon Over Miami.

Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, R. A. Hill Stable and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Channel Maker, a 7-year-old Ontario-bred son of English Channel, boasts a record of 39-7-6-5 with purse earnings in excess of $3.2 million.

The prominent chestnut, last seen finishing eighth in the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan in March, will make his fourth-consecutive Bowling Green appearance, including a dead-heat win in 2018, a fourth in 2019 and a third a year ago.

Channel Maker captured the 12-furlong Grade 1 Sword Dancer here last summer over soft going ahead of a similar front-running score in the Grade 1 Turf Classic Invitational in October over firm Belmont turf. Manny Franco, aboard for both of those victories, returns to the irons from post 5.

Trinity Farm homebred Red Knight, a 7-year-old New York-bred son of Pure Prize, made the grade in October in the Grade 3 Sycamore at Keeneland. The consistent chestnut sports a ledger of 25-8-8-1 and will look for his first win of the season, adding blinkers from post 6 under Tyler Gaffalione.

Summer Wind Equine's Moon Over Miami, a 4-year-old Malibu Moon colt, captured the 1 5/16-mile Dueling Grounds Derby in September at Kentucky Downs to secure his only stakes win. He has made all three starts this year in graded company, finishing third in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida in February and second in the Grade 2 Pan American, both at Gulfstream, ahead of his last-out third in the Grade 1 Man o' War.

Junior Alvarado retains the mount from post 7.

Pletcher will saddle Donegal Racing's Shamrocket, a 4-year-old Tonalist bay in search of his first graded win. The normally late-running colt, who finished fourth in the Grade 1 Man o' War in May, utilized a more prominent approach last out when third in the Grand Couturier.

Irad Ortiz, Jr. has the call from post 8.

Three Diamonds Farm's Cross Border, a 7-year-old New York-bred son of English Channel, was elevated to victory in last year's Bowling Green following the disqualification of Sadler's Joy.

Trained by Mike Maker, Cross Border has thrived on the Saratoga turf with five wins and one second from six starts. Last year's efforts at Saratoga included a win in the Lubash and a runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer. In 2019, Cross Border went 3-for-3 in a perfect Spa summer campaign.

Bred in the Empire State by Berkshire Stud and B.D. Gibbs, Cross Border will exit post 2 under Luis Saez in search of his first win this year.

Brown, a four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer, combined previously with Hall of Fame rider Castellano to capture the Bowling Green with Hyper [2013] and Flintshire [2016].

On Saturday, Castellano will pilot Three Chimneys Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Siena Farm and Jeff Drown's Breakpoint, a multiple Group 1-winner in his native Chile, from post 3.

The 4-year-old Constitution colt broke slow en route to a fourth-place finish last out in his North American debut in a nine-furlong optional-claiming event on June 27 on the Belmont turf.

Brown will also saddle Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Wonder Stables, Michael Kisber and Michael J. Caruso's multiple Grade 1-placed Rockemperor [post 4, Joel Rosario], who enters from a sharp optional-claiming win traveling 10-furlongs on June 26 over firm Belmont turf.

The 5-year-old Irish-bred son of Holy Roman Emperor finished third in the 2019 Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational and second in last year's Grade 1 Manhattan at Belmont.

The Bowling Green is slated as Race 10 on Saturday's 11-race card, which also includes the Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt in Race 8 and the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy in Race 9. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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