John Little | Horse Racing Free Tips

The three-time Grade I winner Gufo (Declaration of War-Floy, by Petionville) has been retired and will arrive at WinStar Farm in Versailles, Kentucky on Wednesday, where potential buyers will have the opportunity to examine him as a stallion prospect.

“Gufo had a minor training setback, and his owner, Stephen Cainelli, made the decision to retire him and find him a new career as a stallion,” said his trainer, Christophe Clement. “Gufo is leaving Payson Park on Tuesday, and he is on his way to WinStar, where he will be available by appointment to be seen by prospective buyers.”

The 6-year-old was bred in Kentucky by Cainelli and John Little. He raced over four seasons, and earned $2,176,530, with 21 starts, nine wins and seven black-type wins. His three Grade Is included the Belmont Derby at three, and the Sword Dancer at four and five. He also won the GIII Kent S. at Delaware at three, where he set a new course record for nine furlongs in 1:46.94, and the GII Pan American at Gulfstream as a 5-year-old. He broke his maiden at a mile and a sixteenth at two.

Gufo is a son of Declaration of War, a two-time Grade I-winning son of War Front who started his career at Coolmore Stud in Ireland, moved to Ashford in America, and who now stands in Japan at the JBBA Shizunai Stallion Station. Declaration of War's son Fire At Will entered stud at Sequel Stallions in New York this year.

“Declaration of War has been a very pleasant surprise as a stallion,” said Clement. “And Gufo was a top-class racehorse at three, four, and five. He raced in all the best races in New York, and never missed a beat. He's a very sound horse. He's a half-brother to a very good sprinter called Hogy (Offlee Wild), so even if he is himself a ten-furlong horse, there is plenty of speed in his family. For me, as a trainer, he was a pleasure to train. He was remarkably consistent over the years, and also I valued dearly the relationship he created between us and Mr. Cainelli, who is a wonderful man from Texas, a retired surgeon.”

Like Declaration of War, Hogy was a very durable racehorse, competing over nine seasons and winning 19 races and nine black-type events. He won on both turf and dirt, was a three-time Grade III winner, and set a course record at the Fair Grounds going about 5.5 furlongs in 1:01.56.

The post Multiple Grade I Stakes Winner Gufo Retired appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

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.

The post Gufo Gets 104 Beyer Speed Figure For Sword Dancer, Targets Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Next appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post