Christophe Clement | Horse Racing Free Tips

Essential Quality Fine After Travers Win

Godolphin's Essential Quality (Tapit) exited his win in Saturday's GI Runhappy Travers S. in fine shape, and, while his next start is up in the air, his ultimate target will be the Nov. 6 GI Breeders' Cup Classic, trainer Brad Cox confirmed Sunday.

“He looked great this morning. He's in good shape,” Cox said. “[Godolphin USA President] Jimmy Bell and I spoke about [his next start] this morning, there's no pressure to make a decision right now. We'll just let the dust settle and enjoy this victory for a little bit. I think that's the right thing to do. We'll make a decision in a week or two weeks. The most important thing is watching him and how he trains.”

Also looking ahead after a Grade I win at Saratoga Saturday are the connections of Gufo (Declaration of War), who captured the GI Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer S. for Otter Bend stables.

“He came out of his race in very good shape and I was very proud of him. He looks very good this morning,” trainer Christophe Clement said.

Clement said the colt would now be pointed towards the Oct. 9 GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park.

Trainer Chad Brown reported that GII Ballston Spa S. winner Viadera (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) will likely make her next start in the Oct. 9 GI First Lady S. at Keeneland.

Also Saturday at Saratoga, Brown saddled Jack Christopher (Munnings), who was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following his 8 3/4-length debut victory.

“I was very pleased,” Brown said of the effort. “The word was out. He had worked well and he ran to his works, which is always a relief for a trainer.”

Brown said Jack Christopher will point to the Oct. 2 GI Champagne S. at Belmont, a one-turn mile offering a “Win and You're In” berth to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

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Gufo Gets 104 Beyer Speed Figure For Sword Dancer, Targets Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Next

Otter Bend Stables' Gufo continued his career-long stretch of ultra-consistent efforts when holding off Japan for a neck victory in the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., improving his career ledger to 7-2-3 in 12 races.

Gufo, bred in Kentucky by John Little and Steve Cainelli, earned a personal-best 104 Beyer for his second career Grade 1 victory and first since the Belmont Derby Invitational in October. He cracked triple digits for the second time in three starts after garnering a 100 for his third-place finish in the Grade 1 Manhattan on Belmont Stakes Day June 5.

Clement said Gufo will now target the $500,000 Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/2 miles on October 9 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

“He came out of his race in very good shape and I was very proud of him. He looks very good this morning,” Clement said.

Clement added blinkers to Gufo before his start in the Grand Couturier going 1 1/2 miles on July 5 at Belmont. After winning that contest by one length, Clement kept the blinkers on, with the 4-year-old Declaration of War colt responding by rallying from last-of-7 under jockey Joel Rosario to make a strong three-wide move in the upper stretch before digging in.

“We put the blinkers on and it helped Joel get in a better position,” Clement said. “It put him more in contention to run a better race.”

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Darlene Bilinski's Senbei improved to 2-for-2 with a 2 3/4-length win in the Funny Cide during New York Showcase Day.

Bred in the Empire State by Dr. Jerry Bilinksi, Senbei went gate-to-wire to capture the 6 1/2-furlong main track sprint. Clement said he has not picked out a next spot yet for Senbei, who won his debut by 4 3/4 lengths on July 18 at Saratoga before going 2-for-2 at the prestigious summer meet.

“He came out of his race perfect. I was very impressed,” Clement said.

Senbei was a $280,000 purchase at the 2020 Keeneland Association January Horses of All Ages Sale.

Clement's 1-2 finishers in the West Point presented by Trustco Bank on New York Showcase Day both are set for fall spots at Belmont, Clement said, with City Man targeting the $125,000 Ashley T. Cole for state-breds 3-years-old and up going 1 1/8 miles on the turf on September 24.

City Man, owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Peter Searles and Patty Searles and bred by Moonstar Farm, bested stablemate Therapist by a nose on Friday in the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes.

Clement said he will likely run Oak Bluff Stables' Therapist, who earned his first stakes black type in five attempts dating to his win in the 2020 Artie Schiller in November at Aqueduct Racetrack, back at Belmont as well.

“He ran a really good race again. He's just a fun horse. He's still consistent and he still tries,” Clement said.

Therapist has registered Beyer numbers of 90 or greater in 10 consecutive starts dating to June 2020.

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Gufo Gets It Done in Sword Dancer

Otter Bend Stables LLC's super consistent Gufo (Declaration of War) held off a furious late bid from European invader Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) to score the second highest-level win of his career in Saturday's GI Sword Dancer S. at Saratoga–a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. Last seen annexing the Grand Couturier S. over this trip downstate July 5, the 5-2 shot was content to sit at the back early along the rail. He crept closer as they approached the final turn after a mile in 1:39.16, and split horses outside of Japan to get the jump on that one entering the stretch. He kept Japan pinned in in upper stretch, struck the front with a furlong to run and kept on from there to get the job done. Saratoga-loving GII Bowling Green S. winner Cross Border (English Channel) was a distant third. The winner stopped the clock in 2:28.30.

“I had a very good trip,” said winning rider Joel Rosario. “It looked like they went nice and firm. It was a nice pace and on the backside, I was just moving nicely with my horse and decided to be where I was. He ran a really good race today and turning for home, it was just a really good performance.”

Gufo capped a four-race win streak in last July's GIII Kent S. at Delaware before missing by a head to future triple Grade I winner Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in this venue's Saratoga Derby Invitational last August. He took the GI Belmont Derby downstate in October, but was third by a neck to Domestic Spending in Del Mar's GI Hollywood Derby Nov. 28. A nose second in Belmont's GI Man o' War S. May 8, he was third behind Domestic Spending again in the June 5 GI Manhattan S. before getting a confidence builder at short odds in the Grand Couturier.

The Christophe Clement barn was coming off a productive Friday in which its representatives took a pair of stakes on the New York-bred Showcase Day.

“I am delighted with this horse and the way he ran today,” Clement asaid. “He is a top-class horse. He's always been a top-class horse. A mile-and-a-quarter, a mile-and-a-half, it really doesn't matter for him. I am delighted to win this race. The race set up perfect. There was plenty of pace. The stable has been lucky [winning] that way this year. This is fun, and it's the kind of race we like to win.”

The GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Oct. 9 as a stepping stone for the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Turf would be a logical path, but Clement said of future plans: “Let's try to wait to decide on that for another moment. We'll enjoy this, and go from there.”

Saturday, Saratoga
RESORTS WORLD CASINO SWORD DANCER S.-GI, $735,000, Saratoga, 8-28, 4yo/up, 1 1/2mT, 2:28.30, fm.
1–GUFO, 122, c, 4, 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. $400,000.
Lifetime Record: 12-7-2-3, $1,138,510. *1/2 to Hogy (Offlee
Wild), MGSW-USA, SP-Can, $1,339,782. Werk Nick Rating:
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Japan (GB), 120, h, 5, Galileo (Ire)–Shastye (Ire), by
Danehill. (1,300,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-Masaaki
Matsushima, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, &
Derrick Smith; B-Newsells Park Stud (GB); T-Aidan P.
O'Brien. $140,000.
3–Cross Border, 122, r, 7, English Channel–Empress
Josephine, by Empire Maker. ($180,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP;
$10,000 2yo '16 OBSOPN; $100,000 4yo '18 FTKHRA).
O-Three Diamonds Farm; B-Berkshire Stud & B. D. Gibbs
(NY); T-Michael J. Maker. $75,000.
Margins: NK, 3HF, HF. Odds: 2.55, 2.85, 5.40.
Also Ran: Rockemperor (Ire), Tribhuvan (Fr), Channel Maker, Moretti. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:
Gufo is one of seven Grade I/Group 1 winners for Declaration of War, who now stands at Japan's Shizunai Stallion Station. Clement trains another of that son of War Front's most accomplished runners in 2019 GI Summer S. hero Decorated Invader.

Gufo is one of two Grade I winners out of Petionville mares, along with near $3.5-million earner McKinzie (Street Sense). Dam Floy was fourth in her only start, an April 2-year-old race at Keeneland on the Polytrack. She RNA'd for just $1500 at the 2011 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale just months before her first foal Hogy would kick off a productive 55-race career. The three-time Grade I winner passed away earlier this month at Old Friends. Floy produced a Preservationist filly Apr. 28 and was bred to Hard Spun for 2022.

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Candy Ride Colt Controls Funny Cide

Senbei came out running from the rail and never looked back to beat a good-looking bunch of New York-bred juveniles Friday. A 4 3/4-length debut graduate in the mud here July 18, the chestnut got lost a bit in the wagering but made them pay. Hustled to the front by Manny Franco, Senbei posted strong fractions of :22 flat and :44.88 with Rick Violette S. winner Run Curtis Run (Summer Front) applying the pressure. He left his pursuer in the dust at the top of the lane, and was never seriously threatened from there while stopping the clock in a time that was slightly slower than the filly counterparts went two races early–albeit with Senbei setting faster internal fractions.

“I was surprised he was 8-1,” noted winning conditioner Christophe Clement. “He has trained well and he's a good-looking horse. He has always showed speed. The only instructions I gave to [jockey] Manny [Franco] was to break well and then be comfortable. I thought he did pretty good. He was fast. He's not just a horse, he's a nice horse. Let's enjoy this for a few days and go from there.”

Dean and Patti Reeves's Reeves Thoroughbred Racing also co-campaign Clement-trained City Man (Mucho Macho Man), who took this race two years ago and the West Point S. on Friday.

“He didn't break as quick as he has, but he ran right up there which is what Manny wanted to do, is to get him up on the lead,” Dean Reeves said. “But when they were going in :44 4/5, I thought, 'Wow.' I was hoping for maybe :46. Manny said when he got off that he had plenty of horse. He's just a runner.”

The winner, who hails from the extended female family of champion juvenile Capote, has a yearling half-brother by Union Rags. His dam visited Twirling Candy for 2022.

FUNNY CIDE S. PRESENTED BY ROOD AND RIDDLE EQUINE HOSPITAL, $200,000, Saratoga, 8-27, (S), 2yo, 6 1/2f, 1:18.09, ft.
1–SENBEI, 122, c, 2, by Candy Ride (Arg)
                1st Dam: Sweet Aloha, by Western Cat
                2nd Dam: Sweet Leilani, by Tagish
                3rd Dam: Mauna Loa, by Hawaii
($280,000 Ylg '20 KEEJAN). 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Reeves
Thoroughbred Racing & Darlene Bilinski; B-Jerry Bilinski (NY);
T-Christophe Clement; J-Manuel Franco. $110,000. Lifetime
Record: 2-2-0-0, $156,750. *1/2 to Filibustin (Bustin Stones),
MSW, $309,140; 1/2 to Indy's Lady (Take Charge Indy), MSW,
$202,378.
2–Montebello, 122, c, 2, Curlin–Beautiful But Blue, by El
Corredor. ($400,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight
Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC & Robert
Masterson; B-Chester & Mary R. Broman (NY); T-Bob
Baffert. $40,000.
3–Happy Happy B, 121, c, 2, Honor Code–Inclination, by Victory
Gallop. O-Cypress Creek Equine & Arnold Bennewith;
B-Southern Equine Stables, LLC (NY); T-Robertino Diodoro.
$24,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, NO, 1 3/4. Odds: 8.60, 2.95, 8.90.
Also Ran: Shipsational, Who Hoo Thats Me, Daufuskie Island, Bourbon's Hope, Run Curtis Run.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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