Christophe Clement | Horse Racing Free Tips

Saturday Racing Insights: $1.25-Million American Pharoah Colt Debuts

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

3rd-AQU, $80K, Msw, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:58 p.m. ET

CORTON CHARLEMAGNE, a well-bred son of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah out of the winning Victory Gallop mare Swingit, debuts for Speedway Stables LLC and trainer Christophe Clement. Purchased for $1.25 million from the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling Showcase, he is a half-brother to five winners from six to race, including current Pleasant Acres stallion GSW & GISP Neolithic (Harlan's Holiday), who earned over $2.2 million, as well as $850k Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase GSW & GISP Travel Column (Frosted). The dark bay has been preparing for this with several five-furlong works on the Payson turf, including a pair of 1:02 2/5 breezes Mar. 26 (9/12) and Apr. 1 (6/18). He gets Lasix for his first start and picks up jockey Junior Alvarado. TJCIS PPs

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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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Declaration of War Colt Sparkles in Texas Glitter

TEXAS GLITTER S., $75,000, Gulfstream, 3-26, 3yo, 5fT, :56.03, fm.
1–BIG INVASION, 118, c, 3, by Declaration of War
                1st Dam: Curls in Place, by Curlin
                2nd Dam: Pola's Place, by Out of Place
                3rd Dam: Pola, by Strawberry Road (Aus)
($72,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Reeves
Thoroughbred Racing; B-John O'Meara (KY); T-Christophe
Clement; J-Javier Castellano. $46,035. Lifetime Record:
3-2-1-0, $88,965.
2–Lucci, 120, c, 3, Not This Time–Lucky'stormwarning, by Lookin
At Lucky. ($290,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL). 1ST BLACK TYPE.
O-Andrew Farm, For the People Racing Stable LLC & Windmill
Manor Farm; B-Springhouse Farm & Ben McElroy (KY);
T-Wesley A. Ward. $14,850.
3-Brit's Candyman, 118, c, 3, Valiant Minister–British Event, by
Wild Event. ($27,000 RNA Ylg '20 OBSWIN; $21,000 Ylg '20
OBSOCT; $21,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Rick
Tattoli, Rabalac Racing Stable, Inc. & Rohan Crichton;
B-Christine Weiss (FL); T-Rohan Crichton. $7,425.
Margins: 3, 1 1/4, 2. Odds: 0.80, 1.10, 32.00.
Also Ran: Trikitraki, Bueno Bueno, Barone Cesco. Scratched: High Front.
Big Invasion was making his third start over this course and trip, following his runner-up debut effort behind American Starlet (Twirling Candy)–who was second in the Melody of Colors S. earlier on Gulfstream's Saturday card–Jan. 7 with a 4 1/4-length maiden tally Feb. 19. Favored while facing five rivals in this stakes debut, the bay colt broke sharply, but was taken in hand to track even-money Lucci. He darted to the lead off the turn and bound clear to an authoritative victory.

“He's very special. He's always showed a tremendous amount of ability,” said Miguel Clement, assistant to his father, trainer Christophe Clement, said. “We were disappointed he got beat first time out, but in hindsight, the filly that beat him just ran second today in a stakes. His next start was impressive, and I think today he dazzled us once again.”

Big Invasion has a 2-year-old half-sister by Empire Maker and a yearling half-brother by Air Force Blue. His dam was bred back to War of Will last year. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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