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.
The post Clement: No BC Decision Yet For Gufo, Pizza Bianca Possible For BC Juvenile Filly Turf appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
