Gufo Puts Them to the ‘Sword’

Otter Bend Stables LLC's Gufo (Declaration of War) employed his oft-decisive turn of foot to find daylight at a crucial stage of Saturday's GI Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer Invitational S. at Saratoga and kicked home smartly to peg back the progressive Mira Misson (Noble Mission {GB}) in the waning strides and successfully defend his title in the 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland Nov. 5. Soldier Rising (GB) (Frankel {GB}) closed off well from the back of the pack to complete a 1-3 finish for the Christophe Clement stable.

“He's been a very good horse these past three years,” said Clement, who also won the Sword Dancer with Honor Glide in 1999 and with Winchester in 2011. “Today, he had a great trip. He was never that far back and he was travelling well. When [jockey] Joel [Rosario] asked him, he exploded in the stretch. I'm delighted. I thought the horse deserved the win.”

While favored Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) missed the break and was immediately under a Ryan Moore ride, Gufo left there running and settled in about seventh position, as the free-wheeling Tribhuvan (Fr) (Toronado {Ire}) set a moderate pace from 2020 Sword Dancer hero Channel Maker (English Channel).

Gufo, blinkered for the first time this season, continued to travel covered up and slightly behind midfield and was ridden quietly by Joel Rosario passing midway, but those who swallowed the 3-2 about this year's G2 Hardwicke S. hero were beginning to sweat, as the 6-year-old was up and down and making very hard work of it approaching the final half-mile. Broome was back into the bridle by the time the Sword Dancer field had reached the final turn and traveled better three wide, but Rosario asked Gufo for some acceleration and beat Broome to the spot, floating the Aidan O'Brien runner wide as they neared the stretch. In the meantime, Mira Mission, who raced one out and one back in the slipstream of Channel Maker for a good portion of the journey, eased out and easily claimed Tribhuvan in upper stretch. For a few strides, it appeared that he had pinched a winning break, but Gufo leveled out and attacked the line to score narrowly. Broome could do no better than fourth.

“It was a good trip,” said Rosario. “He really came with [a] run when asked and we're lucky to get it today. He really responded well but you never know if the horse in front will keep going, but he responded to everything I asked him to do. He looked like he likes it here, he won it last year and did it again this year.”

Never a factor when 10th in last year's Turf, Gufo resumed as good as ever when whooshing home by two lengths in the GII Pan American S. at Gulfstream Apr. 2. Runner-up in Belmont's GI Man o' War S. over a mile and three furlongs May 14, he was simply left too much to do when third to Tribhuvan in the GI Resorts World Manhattan S. over 10 panels downstate June 11 and when fifth to Adhamo (Ire) (Intello {Ger}) in the 11-furlong GI United Nations S. at Monmouth July 23.

Pedigree Notes:

Gufo is one of seven worldwide top-level scorers for Declaration of War, who has also accounted for winners of prestigious events such as the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Queensland Oaks and Melbourne Cup from just a handful of crops to race. The stallion currently calls Japan home, where he has been represented (through Aug. 26) by seven individual winners from his first local crop of runners.

A half-brother to the versatile fan-favorite Hogy, Gufo is bred on a variant of the Danzig cross over Seeking the Gold mares that has resulted in the likes of Omaha Beach–also a son of War Front–as well as Pomeroy (Boundary), Eclipse Award winner Questing (GB) (Hard Spun) and Signs of Blessing (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

Floy is the dam of a yearling Preservationist filly named Poet, did not conceive to Hard Spun for 2022 and was most recently served by both the latter and Oscar Performance.

 

 

 

Saturday, Saratoga
RESORTS WORLD CASINO SWORD DANCER S.-GI, $750,000, Saratoga, 8-27, 4yo/up, 1 1/2mT, 2:28.92, gd.
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. $400,000.
Lifetime Record: 19-9-3-5, $1,983,030. *1/2 to Hogy (Offlee
Wild), MGSW-USA, SP-Can, $1,339,782. Werk Nick Rating:
D+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for
the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Mira Mission, 118, g, 4, Noble Mission (GB)–Kazamira, by
Dynaformer. O-Mary Abeel Sullivan Revocable Trust;
B-Mary A Sullivan (KY); T-Ian R. Wilkes. $140,000.
3–Soldier Rising (GB), 118, g, 4, Frankel (GB)–Sahrawi (Ger),
by Pivotal (GB). (240,000gns RNA Ylg '19 TATOCT).
O-Madaket Stables LLC, Michael Dubb, Morris Bailey,
Wonder Stables and Michael J. Caruso; B-Dayton
Investments Ltd. (GB); T-Christophe Clement. $75,000.
Margins: HF, HF, HF. Odds: 4.40, 18.60, 13.70.
Also Ran: Broome (Ire), Cross Border, Tribhuvan (Fr), Cold Hard Cash, Adhamo (Ire), Rockemperor (Ire), Channel Maker.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Clement Says Gufo Still A Maybe For Breeders’ Cup Turf

Otter Bend Stables' Gufo remains in training for the $4 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf, but trainer Christophe Clement said he has still not officially committed to the race.

The chestnut son of Declaration of War was third in last Saturday's Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., six weeks after earning an entry into the Turf when capturing the “Win And You're In” Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Clement said a breeze next weekend will likely determine Gufo's Breeders' Cup status.

“We are training him to go to the Breeders' Cup at the moment,” Clement said. “I will speak to [Otter Bend Stables owner] Mr. Cainelli in the coming week for the plan and we'll make a decision. He'll breeze next weekend and then we'll assess him after the work.”

Never out of the money in a baker's dozen lifetime starts, Gufo captured 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. He has banked earnings of nearly $1.2 million.

On Saturday morning, Clement breezed his graded stakes-placed pair Soldier Rising and City Man in company over the Belmont inner turf in :47.20.

Second in the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational and Jockey Club Derby Invitational, the last two legs of the Turf Triple series, Soldier Rising will target the $400,000 Grade 2 Hill Prince next Saturday at Belmont Park.

City Man, a three-time New York-bred stakes winner, will make his next start in the $200,000 Mohawk as part of a lucrative Empire Showcase Day on October 30.

“They worked a touch quick, but they worked well,” Clement said. “They came back in good order and are in good shape so far. Solider Rising will go to the Hill Prince and City Man is on target for the Mohawk.”

Soldier Rising will see a significant cutback in distance in the nine-furlong Hill Prince after finishing second in the Jockey Club Derby at 1 ½ miles.

“With the way he worked today, I think he'll be okay,” Clement said.

Also on the work tab for Clement was Moyglare Stud Farm's four-time winner Beautiful Lover, who went an easy half-mile in :52.10. The 5-year-old Arch mare will target the $100,000 Zagora on October 31 at Belmont.

“She worked well. It was a slow, but by design. She finished up nicely,” Clement said.

A last-out fifth in the Grade 3 Fasig-Tipton Waya on October 3, Beautiful Lover defeated eventual graded stakes-placed Miss Teheran in a 1 1/16-mile allowance optional claiming tilt on June 27 at Belmont. She secured a stakes win in capturing the Boiling Springs in 2019 at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., and earned graded stakes black-type last season when second in the Grade 2 Hillsborough at Tampa Bay Downs in Tampa, Fla., and the Grade 3 Matchmaker at Monmouth.

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Cainelli, Little’s Friendship Leads To Success With Jo Hirsch Favorite Gufo

First-time horse owner Dr. Stephen Cainelli has struck gold with multiple Grade 1-winner Gufo, the 8-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park.

The retired Cainelli, who operates under the nom de course Otter Bend Stables, is the owner and co-breeder of Gufo. Cainelli partnered with longtime friend and thoroughbred breeder Dr. John Little in the now 4-year-old Declaration of War chestnut.

During the course of their lengthy friendship, Little, an anesthesiologist, would study pedigrees, bloodlines and conformation when not practicing medicine or playing softball with Cainelli in his current hometown of San Angelo, Texas.

Little moved to Lexington, Kentucky in 2004 to establish Cave Brook Farm, where he keeps a small string of broodmares. Cainelli retired nine years later and although he was not initially interested in racing, he decided to get involved in a racehorse with his longtime friend.

“In 2013, we really started talking about it. Because I was retired, I had the freedom to go up there whenever I could,” Cainelli said. “It was just something to give me an excuse to go up there to Lexington to see him. I said to him, 'How about we breed a horse together? That'll give me an excuse to get involved'.”

But Cainelli said he did not want to be involved with just any horse. He wanted in on the best horse that Little could breed, settling on Gufo's dam Floy, a Petionville broodmare whose top progeny at the time was multiple stakes-winning turf sprint veteran Hogy.

Cainelli said they initially considered breeding Floy to Bodemeister before sending her to Declaration of War, an unproven sire at that time with no offspring of racing age.

“Bodemeister was very high on the list, but because Floy had a couple miscarriages, we were turned down,” Cainelli said. “Declaration of War was our second choice, so we went with him. When he was born, John said, 'This might be one of the best horses I've ever had'.”

Little was not the only one to sing praises on behalf of a young Gufo. Rey Hernandez, who broke Gufo at T.K. Stables in Lexington, saw ability in the horse at a young age as well.

“I've been breaking babies for a long time, and he caught my eye pretty quickly,” Hernandez said. “From Day One, he was a pretty special horse. Everything that we asked him to do, he did pretty easily. He was a very smart horse and he never misbehaved or anything like that.”

Cainelli recalled a prophetic conversation he had with Hernandez.

“He said, 'Take care of this one, he's your Derby horse,'” Cainelli said.

Hernandez was right. Gufo was in fact a Derby horse, just not the Kentucky Derby.

Gufo began his 2020 campaign with aplomb winning four straight races through the maiden, allowance, stakes and graded stakes ranks, securing his first graded win in the Grade 3 Kent last July at Delaware Park. His foreseen “Derby” victory came in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational last October at Belmont.

Cainelli credits trainer Christophe Clement for expertly placing Gufo through a consistent career thus far, never finishing off the board in a dozen starts.

“I was told to get any of the top ten trainers, and he'll win some races,” Cainelli said. “I chose Clement because we believed he was a turf horse. I was really impressed because Christophe only takes a limited number each year. He's really a hands-on trainer. He has a good record. I couldn't find anyone who didn't hold him in high regard.”

Gufo made good showings in his first pair of starts as a 4-year-old with late closing efforts in Grade 1 turf events at Belmont when second in the Man o' War and third in the Manhattan.

Clement then added blinkers and stretched Gufo out to 12 furlongs resulting in a win in the Grand Couturier on July 5 at Belmont before fending off multiple Group 1-winner Japan to capture the Grade 1 Resorts World Sword Dancer on August 18 at Saratoga.

Cainelli said both factors were agreed upon by Clement and Gufo's jockey, Joel Rosario, who has been aboard for all four starts this year.

“He always told me that he thought he was a longer distance horse – a mile and a quarter mile and a half, somewhere in that range,” Cainelli said. “Between Rosario and Christophe, they both agreed he would function much better with blinkers. They knew what they were doing. He's like a big kid. He's always been smart and he's a pretty good size. That's part of the reason they put blinkers on him – he just likes to look around.”

Through a 12-7-2-3 career, Gufo has paid back dividends for Cainelli, who has achieved millionaire status with earnings of $1,138,510.

Cainelli said he never imagined having so much success with his first horse.

“I didn't. In fact, I told my wife [Candi] that I was going to put aside a quarter million for a racehorse,” Cainelli said. “I calculated that it would take about two to three hundred thousand to breed, train, and race a horse through ages three and four. So, I put that money aside to pay expenses. But it hasn't affected anything, and I haven't had to dip into that at all.”

While the unanticipated financial success with Gufo has been exciting for Cainelli, he said his largest pleasure from this experience is continuing a longtime friendship with Little.

“It was really more of a fluke than anything else. It was done so we could strengthen our friendship, and it's done just that,” Cainelli said.

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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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