Christophe Clement | Horse Racing Free Tips

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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Slipstream Slips Through To Win Futurity, Earn BC Juvenile Turf Sprint Spot

Last early, Joel Rosario found room on the rail for Slipstream to slide past Run Curtis Run and win the Grade 3 Futurity Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. With this victory, Slipstream earns a spot in the starting gate for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Nov. 5 at Del Mar.

Breaking from post four, Rosario settled Slipstream at the back of the field of eight in the race's opening strides, as longshots Ready to March and Run Curtis Run lead down the backstretch. Entering the final turn, Slipstream was still toward the back of the pack on the rail as Run Curtis Run took over the lead going into the stretch.

Over the firm Belmont turf, Run Curtis Run was a length to the good as Slipstream squeezed by Midnight Worker, finding just enough room to get to the outside of the leader. Once clear, the 2-year-old son of More Than Ready accelerated and pulled clear of Run Curtis Run in the race's final yards. Biz Biz Buzz was third and Midnight Worker fourth.

The final time for the six furlongs was 1:08.36. Find this race's chart here.

Slipstream paid $6.60, $3.90, and $3.30. Run Curtis Run paid $13.00 and $7.80. Biz Biz Buzz paid $4.80.

The G3 Futurity is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series. Winners of Challenge Series races receive a fees-paid, guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the corresponding event at the Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

Bred in Kentucky by Burleson Farm and McKenzie Bloodstock, Slipstream is out of the Stormy Atlantic mare Cake Baby. Owned by Jump Sucker Stable and trained by Christophe Clement, the 2-year-old colt has two wins in four starts for career earnings of $147,600. He was consigned by Burleson Farms at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and purchased by Northshore Bloodstock for $170,000.

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Gufo, Japan Meet Again In Joe Hirsch Turf Classic

During the latter half of his 4-year-old season, Otter Bend Stables' Gufo has displayed an affinity for 1 1/2-mile turf tests. On Saturday, Gufo will meet a cast of familiar rivals when striving for more 12-furlong success in the 44th running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic over the Widener turf at Belmont Park.

The Hirsch, slated as Race 7, is part of a lucrative 11-race card that also features the Grade 2, $250,000 Vosburgh [Race 5], a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up which offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint on Nov. 6 at Del Mar; and the Grade 3, $150,000 Matron [Race 6] at six furlongs on turf for juvenile fillies. First post on Saturday is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

Gufo, a last-out winner of the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course, has never finished off the board in a dozen starts sporting a ledger of 7-2-3 and lifetime earnings of $1,138,510.

The consistent Declaration of War chestnut will face a quality field which includes returning rival Japan, as well as previous Joe Hirsch Turf Classic victors Channel Maker [2018, 2020] and Arklow [2019].

Trained by Christophe Clement, Gufo earned a career-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure when fending off Japan by a neck in the Sword Dancer. The talented turf stayer raced along the rail through the early stages of the Sword Dancer, picking up ground past the second turn and into the backstretch. He was in command past the three-sixteenths and held off Japan's menacing outside rally.

Prior to the Sword Dancer, Gufo was a one-length winner of the 12-furlong Grand Couturier on July 5 at Belmont.

During his sophomore campaign last year, Gufo secured graded stakes triumphs in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Kent at Delaware Park and captured the 10-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational two starts later.

While stretching out to 1 ½ miles has paid dividends for Gufo, Clement said adding blinkers for the Grand Couturier score has been equally as beneficial.

“The blinkers made him a bit more manageable,” Clement said. “It's nice to have a horse that is so consistent at that level. We'll need some racing luck like always. He's run well in every Grade 1 in New York on turf this year and that's what it's all about. It's a Grade 1 so it will be a tough race by definition, but we'll be there.”

Joel Rosario, the pilot aboard Gufo in six of his 12 starts, will have the call from post 3.

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Japan seeks to turn the tables on Gufo for trainer Aidan O'Brien who shipped Cape Blanco to the United States to take the 2011 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic.

Owned by Coolmore triumvirate Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith in partnership with Masaaki Matsushima, Japan gradually improved position throughout the Sword Dancer and attempted to collar Gufo in the final furlong coming up a nose short.

The 5-year-old son of Galileo was a two-time Group 1 winner in 2019, defeating three other Group 1 winners in the Juddmonte International in August 2019 at York. He captured the Group 1 Grand Prix De Paris in May 2019 at Longchamp.

Winless in five starts in 2020, Japan recaptured his winning form this season with a pair of Group 3 triumphs. In his seasonal bow, he won the Ormonde on May 6 at Chester, three starts ahead of a victory in the Meld on July 15 at Leopardstown.

“The turns at Saratoga didn't inconvenience him,” said O'Brien's travelling assistant T.J. Comerford. “He went around Chester in England which has pretty tight turns. He just probably didn't get the run of the race when he wanted. He came out of it well. He's going the right way. He's training well and Aidan is very happy with him. All he has to do is run like he did the last time and that gives him a good shot.”

Wayne Lordan ships in to ride from post 7.

A five-time graded stakes winning 7-year-old, Channel Maker captured both the Joe Hirsch and Sword Dancer last year ahead of a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf, which earned him Champion Turf Horse honors.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Channel Maker won both of his respective Joe Hirsch Turf Classics in wire-to-wire fashion garnering career best 108 Beyers.

After defeating a field of four Grade 1-winners by 4 ½ lengths in 2018, Channel Maker earned his second Joe Hirsch Turf Classic victory two years later, winning by 2 ¼ lengths under Manny Franco. He joined his sire English Channel amongst a compact group of horses to have won multiple runnings of the Joe Hirsch. A triumph this year would make Channel Maker the only horse to win three.

Channel Maker, one of five millionaires in the field, boasts the largest bankroll with earnings of $3,266,551. He is also the most seasoned amongst his competitors with a record of 41-7-6-5.

Franco will ride from post 6.

Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger and the Estate of Peter Coneway's Arklow, the 2019 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic winner, will vie to join Channel Maker and Val's Prince [1997, 99] as horses to win non-consecutive Joe Hirsch Turf Classics.

Trained by Brad Cox, the durable 7-year-old son of Arch secured his only Grade 1 victory when defeating Channel Maker by a half-length two years ago.

Sporting a ledger of 35-9-8-2, Arklow has won at least one graded stakes race every year since 2017. After rounding out his 6-year-old season with a win in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup in November at Del Mar, Arklow made his seasonal bow when coming from 10 lengths off the pace to win the Grade 3 Louisville on May 15 at Churchill Downs.

Arklow arrives off a late closing second in the Grade 3 Calumet Turf Cup on September 11 at Kentucky Downs, a race he had won in 2018 and 2020.

“He had a tough trip last out at Kentucky Downs but he ran a really good race,” Cox said. “He came out of the race in good shape and had two nice works on the turf at Belmont. He's made almost $3 million in his career and it would be exciting to win this race for the second time.”

Jose Lezcano picks up the mount from post 2.

In pursuit of his third Joe Hirsch victory, trainer Chad Brown will saddle Serve the King [post 1, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] and Rockemperor [post 4, Javier Castellano].

Peter Brant's Serve the King earned his first stakes victory last out in the restricted John's Call on August 25 at Saratoga, which he won a half-length. The lightly-raced 5-year-old son of Kingman sports a consistent record of 9-4-1-1.

Rockemperor, owned by Madaket Stable, Michael Dubb, Wonder Stable, Michael E. Kisber and Michael J. Caruso, was fourth in the Sword Dancer last out. The seven-time graded stakes-placed son of Holy Roman Emperor last found the winner's circle in a 10-furlong allowance optional claiming tilt on June 26 at Belmont. He will race with blinkers off on Saturday.

Completing the field is Three Diamonds Farm's Cross Border who enters off a third in the Sword Dancer for trainer Mike Maker. Unplaced in the last two Joe Hirsch Turf Classics, the New York-bred 7-year-old secured graded stakes victories with back-to-back wins in the Grade 2 Bowling Green at Saratoga [2020-21].

Cross Border was bred in New York by Berkshire Stud and B.D. Gibbs. Luis Saez will ride from post 5.

The Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational is named in honor of the late journalist, the founding president of the National Turf Writers Association, and recipient of the Eclipse Award of Merit [1992]. The press box at Saratoga Race Course is named in honor of Hirsch.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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Gufo Records Final Breeze For G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic

Otter Bend Stables' Gufo recorded his final piece of serious preparation for Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational at Belmont Park, breezing a half-mile in 48.80 Sunday over the Belmont inner turf.

Trained by Christophe Clement, the 4-year-old chestnut son of Declaration of War seeks to keep an unbeaten record at 12 furlongs intact following victories in the Grand Couturier on July 5 at Belmont before winning the G1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer eight weeks later at Saratoga.

“He worked very well this morning,” Clement said. “It was a strong work and he finished up very nicely, so I'm excited for next week.”

Clement will seek a second Joe Hirsch Turf Classic win, previously saddling Winchester to victory in 2010. Multiple champion Gio Ponti was second in the 2009 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic for Clement.

Also appearing on Sunday's work tab for Clement was dual graded stakes winner Mutamakina who completed a half-mile move in 49.20 seconds over the inner turf. Al Shiraa'aa Farm's daughter of Nathaniel captured the G2 Dance Smartly on Aug. 22 at Woodbine last out and will return to the Toronto oval for the G1 E.P. Taylor on Oct. 17.

Scheduled to accompany Mutamakina for the journey up north is stable mate La Dragontea, a winner of the G2 Canadian on Sept. 18 at Woodbine who also will target the E.P. Taylor.

Clement said he plans on saddling multiple contenders next weekend for the G3, $150,000 Matron, a six-furlong turf event for juvenile fillies. Possible contenders for the Clement barn include stakes-winner Derrynane, who captured the Woodbine Cares on Sept. 19, as well as maiden winners The Club and Gal In a Rush.

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