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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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Blinkers Help Gufo Regain Winning Ways In Inaugural Grand Couturier

Otter Bend Stables' Gufo capitalized on Joel Rosario's patient ride, rallying from last-of-six to make a strong move out of the turn and press on for a one-length victory over Tide of the Sea in the $150,000 Grand Couturier on Monday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. It was the inaugural running of the 1 1/2-mile test for 4-year-olds and up over the Widener turf course.

The ultra-consistent Gufo entered his 11th career start having finished in the money in each of his previous races. The Christophe Clement trainee kept that record intact with his sixth career victory and fourth stakes score, benefitting from class relief after running third last out in the Grade 1 Manhattan on Belmont Stakes Day June 5.

Gufo, who broke from post 6, was content to save ground in last as Tide of the Sea led through an opening quarter-mile in 26.09 seconds, the half in 51.03 and three-quarters in 1:16.48 over the turf labeled good.

Rosario urged Gufo up out of the far turn, tipping him out as he picked off rivals one-by-one. Straightened for home, Gufo overtook Shamrocket and Tide of the Sea. In the final sixteenth, Tide of the Sea re-bid from the inside under Luis Saez, but Gufo completed the course in 2:28.73, winning for the first time since the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational in October.

After running second in the Grade 1 Man o' War when rallying from 14 lengths back in May and earning black type, coming from 17 lengths back, in the Manhattan to start his 2021 campaign, Clement said adding blinkers for the Grand Couturier paid off.

“I think the blinkers helped because he was, without a doubt, a bit closer,” Clement said. “He ran very well. He was closer to the pace. He was giving weight to most of them. With that big sweeping move five-wide, by the time he came against [Sadler's Joy] we had already cleared him. I was very happy with Gufo.”

Gufo, the 4-5 favorite, returned $3.80 on a $2 win bet. Bred in Kentucky by John Little and Stephen Cainelli, he improved his career earnings to $738,510. The 4-year-old Declaration of War colt is 6-2-3 lifetime.

Jose Ortiz, aboard fourth-place finisher Sadler's Joy, lodged an objection against Gufo after he appeared to lug out slightly in the stretch. The stewards also put up the inquiry sign but upheld the order of finish.

“I corrected him. He always likes to look around a little bit, and that was it. He was fine after that,” Rosario said about his stretch run. “He was a little more focused with the blinkers. It was a slow pace, but he was a little more up in the race. It seemed like they helped.”

Clement said the Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer also going 1 ½ miles on Travers Day, August 28, at Saratoga Race Course is likely next on tap. The Sword Dancer is a “Win and You're In” qualifier to the Grade 1, $4 million Breeders' Cup Turf November 6 at Del Mar.

“The Sword Dancer is next. That's the plan,” Clement said. “He has three starts this year and the plan was always to give him three starts. I was going to run in the United Nations, but the [Monmouth Park] whip rule and the fact that things have been a bit speed favoring at Monmouth, I had to think about it. I figured that the Bowling Green was a touch too close to the Sword Dancer, so I ran him today. The next two or three weeks I'll start playing with him and breeze him around the first week of August. Then we'll be ready for the Sword Dancer.”

Tide of the Sea, owned by Three Diamonds Farm and trained by Michael Maker, edged the Todd Pletcher-trained Shamrocket by a neck for second. Following in the order was Sadler's Joy, Red Knight and Kinenos.

“He broke pretty well and was trying pretty hard,” Saez said. “When we came to the stretch, the six-horse [Gufo] came pretty quick. He tried to fight with him. If the ground was a little bit faster, it would have been better. He never gave up but we were second best.”

Fantasioso, Epic Bromance, Moon Over Miami and Burning Bright scratched.

Live racing resumes Friday at Belmont with a nine-race card. First post is 1 p.m. Eastern.

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Army Wife Marches To Iowa Oaks Victory; Stilleto Boy Tiptoes On Lead For Derby Upset

Coming off an impressive victory in the Grade 2 George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes on May 14, Army Wife invaded Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa, to take Friday night's Grade 3, $225,000 Iowa Derby by 3 3/4 lengths as the even-money favorite.

The Oaks was one of two graded stakes on the night, along with the G3 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap. The third big race of the evening was the $250,000 Iowa Derby

Trained by Mike Maker and racing for W. Kirk Wycoff's Three Diamonds Farm, Army Wife was ridden to victory by Joel Rosario, who was aboard the Declaration of War filly for the first time in the Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico. She covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.10 and paid $4 to win, It was her fourth victory from nine career starts.

Shesa Mystery finished second, with 8-5 second choice Pauline's Pearl 2 1/2 lengths farther back in third and The Grass Is Blue fourth in the field of six 3-year-old fillies. Sister Annie finished fifth, with Windmill trailing the field. Oliviaofthedesert was scratched.

Rosario was content to secure a cozy spot on the rail aboard Army Wife, who raced in fourth position early and in the run down the backstretch. Sister Annie hung up fractions of :24.27, :48.18 and 1:12.06 for the first six furlongs, with Shesa Mystery putting pressure on her going into the far turn.

Sister Annie and Shesa Mystery battled for the lead on the turn for home, but Rosario had them both measured, swinging Army Wife off the rail three wide into the stretch, hitting the front nearing the eighth pole and drawing off for the victory.

In the $250,000 Iowa Derby, New York-based jockey Jose Ortiz gunned Stilleto Boy to the lead at the start and the Kentucky-bred gelding by Shackleford relaxed on the front end, repelled a challenge from Flash of Mischief around the far turn, then cruised to victory by 4 1/2 lengths.

Trained by Doug Anderson and bred by John and Iveta Kerber, the Iowa Derby winner is owned by the Kerbers, Michael Coleman, Aaron Kennedy and trainer Anderson. Stilleto Boy was winning for the second time in seven career starts, having earned his maiden diploma in his fifth start, going wire to wire at Oaklawn Park on April 17. In his most recent start, Stilleto Boy finished fourth after never getting the lead in the Prairie Mile Stakes at Prairie Meadows on June 4.

Sent off the longest shot in the field of six (following scratches of Proxy, Bourbon Thunder and Snow House), Stilleto Boy paid $35.40 for the win. He ran the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:42.64 after setting fractions of :23.79, :47.73, 1:11.48 and 1:36.12.

“We wanted him on the front end and Jose did a fantastic job of getting him there,” said Andersen.

Flash of Mischief, who chased Stilleto Boy throughout, held second as a 12-1 outsider for trainer Karl Broberg, with Gagetown2 1/2 lengths back in third and 2-1 second choice Super Stock a neck back in fourth. Nova Rags, the 9-5 favorite, finished fifth, with Rightandjust trailing the field.

Jose Ortiz and Stilleto Boy upset the Iowa Derby

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Grade 1 Winner Gufo Stretches out, Add Blinkers For Monday’s Grand Couturier

Otter Bend Stables' Grade 1-winner Gufo will stretch out in distance for Monday's inaugural running of the $150,000 Grand Couturier, a 12-furlong Widener turf test for older horses at Belmont Park.

Trained by Christophe Clement, the 4-year-old Declaration of War chestnut won 4-of-6 sophomore starts, including victories in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Kent at Delaware Park and the 10-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational.

Clement said Gufo will add blinkers following late-running losses in his last three starts, including narrow defeats in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby by a neck in November at Del Mar; and the Grade 1 Man o' War by a nose in May at Belmont.

Last out, Gufo raced from 17 lengths off the pace before closing to finish third in the 10-furlong Grade 1 Manhattan on June 5 at Belmont.

“He's always way, way out of it and we're just trying to get him closer,” said Clement regarding the equipment change. “He's not going to be on the pace, but it would be great to have him not too far out of it. He's doing well and training well and I love the idea of running him back at Belmont.”

Clement said the Grand Couturier could serve as a steppingstone to the 12-furlong Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer, slated for August 28 at Saratoga, which offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the Grade 1, $4 million Breeders' Cup Turf in November at Del Mar.

“The plan is to get to the Sword Dancer at Saratoga. That's our main summer goal,” said Clement.

Joel Rosario retains the mount from post 6.

Woodslane Farm's multiple graded stakes winner Sadler's Joy will make his first start since a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Pan American on March 27 at Gulfstream Park.

Trained by Tom Albertrani, the $2.6 million earner, who captured the 2017 Grade 1 Sword Dancer, is in search of his first win since the 2019 Grade 3 Red Smith at Aqueduct. The 8-year-old Kitten's Joy chestnut did cross the wire first in the last year's Grade 2 Bowling Green at Saratoga, but was disqualified and placed fourth.

Jose Ortiz has the call from post 3.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott will saddle a pair of contenders in Summer Wind Equine's Moon Over Miami and Trinity Farm's Red Knight.

Red Knight, a New York-homebred, captured the Grade 3 Sycamore in October at Keeneland going the Grand Couturier distance. The 7-year-old Pure Prize gelding boasts a record of 24-8-8-1 with four of those scores arriving on the Belmont turf, including the 2019 Point of Entry at 12 furlongs.

Moon Over Miami, a Kentucky homebred, closed from 15 lengths back to finish third, defeated a neck, last out in the Grade 1 Man o' War going 1 3/8-miles on the Belmont turf. The 4-year-old Malibu Moon colt captured the Dueling Grounds Derby at 1 5/16-miles on the Kentucky Downs turf in September.

Junior Alvarado will pilot Moon Over Miami from post 5, while Manny Franco will guide Red Knight from the inside post.

Three Diamonds Farm's Tide of the Sea, a 5-year-old son of English Channel bred in Kentucky by Juddmonte Farms, will look to make amends after finishing last-of-9 last out in the Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup contested at two miles over yielding turf.

Trained by Mike Maker, Tide of the Sea captured the 12-furlong Grade 3 William L. McKnight in January at Gulfstream Park and followed with a close second in the 11-furlong Grade 2 Mac Diarmida at the same track.

Tide of the Sea will emerge from post 7 under Luis Saez.

Rounding out a talented field are Fantasioso [post 2, Javier Castellano], Epic Bromance [post 4, Joe Bravo], Burning Bright [post 8, Eric Cancel], Shamrocket [post 9, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], and Kinenos [post 10, Jose Lezcano].

The Grand Couturier is slated as Race 6 on Monday's nine-race card. First post is 1 p.m. Eastern.

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