Gufo Makes First Start at 4 in Man o' War at Belmont

Attrition has taken its toll on the top 3-year-old male dirt horses in 2020 with both of the classic winners, Horse of the Year Authentic   and Tiz the Law  , currently enjoying their new life as a stallion.

Meanwhile, the turf contingent from that crop of horses born in 2017 remains extremely well represented as another year of racing unfolds.

That was illustrated quite clearly May 1 in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) at Churchill Downs when 4-year-olds occupied the top three spots at the finish line. Favored Colonel Liam , winner of the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T), hung on to finish in a dead-heat with Domestic Spending  with Smooth Like Strait  just a neck behind in third.

Another standout from that talented class will make his 4-year-old debut May 8 when Gufo  starts his 2021 campaign in the $700,000 Man o' War Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park, making his first start since finishing just a head and a neck behind Domestic Spending and Smooth Like Strait from post 11 Nov. 28 in the Hollywood Derby (G1T) for 3-year-olds.

Prior to that, Otter Bend Stables' Gufo won the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T). He also finished a head behind Domestic Spending in second in the Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes, a race in which Colonel Liam was fourth.

"This is an exceptional crop of turf horses who are turning 4, and they have become the leaders of the division," said Christophe Clement, who trains Gufo. "I hope Gufo becomes one of them. It's pretty exciting."

A son of Declaration of War , Gufo will face seven rivals in the grassy Man o' War, a 1 3/8-mile test that caps a slate of five graded stakes on a strong Saturday card at beautiful Belmont Park, which will once again play host to a limited number of fans.

It will mark the end of a 5 1/2-month hiatus for the late-running Gufo, a winner of five of eight starts who has taken a nice step forward during the layoff in Clement's eyes.

"I'm very happy with him. He's training well. It's all good here. I think he's done well physically. He's  stronger than he was at 3 and has improved from 3 to 4 based on what I'm seeing in training," Clement said. "It's time to start him up."

Gufo, a half brother to the grade 3-winning turf sprinter Hogy , was bred by John Little and Stephen Cainelli out of the Petionville mare Floy and accounted for Clement's milestone 2,000th win back on March 27, 2000, at Gulfstream Park.

The most intriguing entrant is the 5-year-old Sovereign , who will be making his United States debut for the Coolmore team of Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier, and Derrick Smith. 

Now trained by Chad Brown, the son of Galileo  has won only 2 of 14 starts but in July was second to the legendary two-time Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) and 2018 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) winner Enable in the QIPCO King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) at Ascot. 

Six starts back for trainer Aidan O'Brien, he won the 2019 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (G1) for his most recent triumph. He missed by a neck while finishing third in his most recent start, the Nov. 20 Bahrain International Trophy.

"We received him over the winter at Payson Park, and he's settled into a nice work pattern," Brown said about the $1.1 million earner. "He came over very sound and in great shape from Aidan. He sure trains like a horse with a lot of quality. I've seen him train on firm ground in Florida and he's fine with it. He can handle some cut in the ground."

Among the others entered are Calumet Farm's grade 2 winner Channel Cat , an English Channel   6-year-old who was second in the Elkhorn Stakes (G2T) most recently, and Three Diamonds Farm's Maryland-bred multiple grade 3 winner Field Pass , a Lemon Drop Kid   4-year-old who was fourth most recently in the Maker's Mark Mile Stakes (G1T).

Wertheimer and Frere's Ziyad  will be making his third U.S. start and first in 2021 for trainer Graham Motion. The son of Rock of Gibraltar  was third last year in both the Red Smith Stakes (G3T) and the Sycamore Stakes (G3T).

"I think he's pretty adaptable," Motion said. "He came to me straight from France to Keeneland last fall, so I didn't have much time to get to know him before his race there. Now that I've had him for a while, I've gotten to know him quite better. He's a very straight-forward horse that's been training very well this year so far. I feel that he's ready for a race like this. On his form he's competitive against this group."

The Man o' War will be contested as the 10th of 11 races Saturday, with post time scheduled for 5:44 p.m.

Entries: Man o' War S. (G1T)

Belmont Park, Saturday, May 08, 2021, Race 10

• Grade I
• 1 3/8m
• Inner turf
• $700,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 5:44 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Sovereign (IRE)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Chad C. Brown	8/5
2	2Moon Over Miami (KY)	Junior Alvarado	118	William I. Mott	8/1
3	3Ziyad (GB)	Manuel Franco	118	H. Graham Motion	6/1
4	4So High (GB)	Eric Cancel	118	Naipaul Chatterpaul	50/1
5	5Channel Cat (KY)	John R. Velazquez	118	Jack Sisterson	10/1
6	6Shamrocket (FL)	Javier Castellano	118	Todd A. Pletcher	15/1
7	7Field Pass (MD)	Luis Saez	120	Michael J. Maker	6/1
8	8Gufo (KY)	Joel Rosario	124	Christophe Clement	2/1