Sword Dancer Stakes | Horse Racing Free Tips

Five Stakes Wins Net Joel Rosario Jockey Of The Week Title

The New York Racing Association presented 16 stakes races at Saratoga during the week of August 23; Joel Rosario had a mount in every one. He won five of those stakes including two Grade 1s and one Grade 2. His accomplishments earned Jockey of the Week honors for Aug. 23 through Aug. 29. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

Rosario's five stakes wins for the week began on Friday, New York Showcase Day. Given a leg up in the Fleet Indian Stakes by trainer Bob Dunham, Rosario and Byhubbyhellomoney tracked in fourth before finding a seam along the rail to post a neck victory in 1:52.07 for the 1-1/8 miles contest for 3-year-old fillies. Rosario won his second straight stakes of the day riding City Man for Christophe Clement in the West Point Handicap for 3-year-olds and up on the turf. City Man ran the 1-1/16 miles in 1:41.30.

On Saturday, trainer Chad Brown saddled three entrants in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa with Rosario on Viadera. Under Rosario, Viadera saved ground in third, advancing up the rail through the final turn then angled to the three-path and dug in to overtake High Opinion and Luis Saez at the wire in a final time of 1:41.82 for the 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for older fillies and mares.

“Turning for home, I was clear,” said Rosario. “She always tries really hard. She's a very good filly.”

In the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, trainer Steve Asmussen gave a leg up to Rosario, regular rider of Jackie's Warrior. Rosario and Jackie's Warrior tracked in second as Life Is Good led the field of 3-year-olds through the half. At the top of the stretch, Jackie's Warrior capitalized on running room from the inside and held off a resurgent Life Is Good to prevail by a neck in 1:21.39.

“I felt confident, but Life is Good was not giving up and a lot of credit to him, too, it was a very good race,” said Rosario.

Rosario captured his second Grade 1 of the day in the Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer aboard Gufo for trainer Christophe Clement. Last of seven, the duo saved ground first time past the wire, advancing down the backstretch, rallying outside of Tribuvan and Channel Maker and staving off European invader, Japan, to win by a neck in 2:28.30 for the 1-1/2-mile inner-turf contest.

“He ran a really good race today and turning for home, it was just a really good performance,” said Rosario.

Rosario's weekly statistics were 39-11-2-3 for a 41 percent in-the-money rate and total purses of $1,663,476.

Rosario out-polled Arnaldo Bocachica who won three stakes at Charles Town, Paco Lopez who led all riders in wins with 14, Luis Saez who won the Grade 1 Travers and Ricardo Santana, Jr, who won the Grade 1 Forego with Yaupon.

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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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Gufo Much The Best In Sword Dancer At Saratoga

Gufo won his way into the Breeders' Cup Turf with a hard-fought victory in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Toward the back of the pack throughout the 1 1/2-mile stakes, Gufo went two-wide on the final turn to find a clear lane to take the lead in the stretch and outlasted Japan in the race's final yards to get the win.

Breaking from post 2, Joel Rosario on Gufo wrapped up on the 4-year-old colt early, running sixth of seven throughout the first mile as Channel Maker took the lead. After a first quarter in :23.38, Manny Franco on Channel Maker slowed the pace down, the half-mile coming in :48.59 and the six furlongs in 1:14.42. The 7-year-old gelding held on to the lead through the race's final turn, as Rosario moved Gufo out from the rail, going to the outside to find a clear path for their stretch run.

Into the Saratoga straight, Channel Maker and Tribhuvan, 1-2 throughout the race, dueled for the lead as Gufo made his bid down the center of the track, hitting the front within the last eighth of a mile. Japan kicked into gear in the stretch as well, passing Channel Maker and Tribhuvan to challenge Gufo. The Christophe Clement trainee was able to hold on, winning the G1 Sword Dancer by a half-length with Japan second and Cross Border third.

The final time for the 1 1/2 miles was 2:28.30.

The G1 Sword Dancer is a Win and You're In race for the Breeders' Cup World Championships. With his victory, Gufo receives a fees-paid guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the Breeders' Cup Turf, scheduled for Nov. 6 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

Gufo paid $7.10, $3.80, and $2.80. Japan paid $4.00 and $3.10. Cross Border paid $3.70.

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