Late-Running Gufo Adds Blinkers for Grand Couturier

Otter Bend Stables' grade 1 winner Gufo  will stretch out in distance July 5 for the inaugural running of the $150,000 Grand Couturier Stakes, a 1 1/2-mile Widener turf test for older horses at Belmont Park.

Trained by Christophe Clement, the 4-year-old Declaration of War  chestnut won 4-of-6 sophomore starts, including victories in the 1 1/8-mile Kent Stakes (G3T) at Delaware Park and the 1 1/4-mile Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T).

Clement said Gufo will add blinkers following late-running losses in his last three starts, including narrow defeats in the Hollywood Derby (G1T) by a neck in November at Del Mar; and the Man o' War Stakes (G1T) by a nose in May at Belmont.

Last out, Gufo raced from 17 lengths off a hot pace before closing to finish third in the 1 1/4-mile Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes (G1T) June 5 at Belmont.

"He's always way, way out of it, and we're just trying to get him closer," said Clement regarding the equipment change. "He's not going to be on the pace, but it would be great to have him not too far out of it. He's doing well and training well, and I love the idea of running him back at Belmont."

Clement said the Grand Couturier could serve as a stepping stone to the 1 1/2-mile, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) Aug. 28 at Saratoga Race Course. That race offers a "Win and You're In" berth to the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) in November at Del Mar.

Joel Rosario retains the mount Monday from post 6.

Woodslane Farm's multiple graded stakes winner Sadler's Joy  will make his first start since a fourth-place finish in the Pan American Stakes Presented by Rood and Riddle (G2T) March 27 at Gulfstream Park.

Trained by Tom Albertrani, the $2.6 million earner, who captured the 2017 Sword Dancer, is in search of his first win since the 2019 Red Smith Stakes (G3T) at Aqueduct Racetrack. The 8-year-old Kitten's Joy   chestnut did cross the wire first in last year's Bowling Green Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga but was disqualified and placed fourth for interference.

Jose Ortiz has the call from post 3.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott will saddle a pair of contenders in Summer Wind Equine's Moon Over Miami  and Trinity Farm's Red Knight .

Red Knight, a New York-homebred, captured the Sycamore Stakes (G3T) in October at Keeneland going the Grand Couturier distance. Moon Over Miami, a Kentucky homebred, closed from 15 lengths back to finish third, defeated a neck, last out in the Man o' War Stakes (G1T) going 1 3/8 miles on the Belmont turf. The 4-year-old Malibu Moon   colt captured the Gun Runner Dueling Grounds Derby at 1 5/16 miles on the Kentucky Downs turf in September.

Junior Alvarado will pilot Moon Over Miami from post 5, while Manny Franco will guide Red Knight from the inside post.

Tide of the Sea , Fantasioso , Epic Bromance , Burning Bright , Shamrocket , and Kinenos  complete the field

The Grand Couturier is slated as race six on Monday's nine on the afternoon.

Entries: Grand Couturier S.

Belmont Park, Monday, July 05, 2021, Race 6

• STK
• 1 1/2m
• Turf
• $150,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 3:34 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Red Knight (NY)	Manuel Franco	124	William I. Mott	6/1
2	2Fantasioso (ARG)	Javier Castellano	124	Ignacio Correas, IV	10/1
3	3Sadler's Joy (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	118	Thomas Albertrani	5/1
4	4Epic Bromance (KY)	Dylan Davis	118	J. Kent Sweezey	30/1
5	5Moon Over Miami (KY)	Junior Alvarado	122	William I. Mott	7/2
6	6Gufo (KY)	Joel Rosario	124	Christophe Clement	8/5
7	7Tide of the Sea (KY)	Luis Saez	124	Michael J. Maker	20/1
8	8Burning Bright (KY)	Eric Cancel	120	Jonathan Thomas	15/1
9	9Shamrocket (FL)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Todd A. Pletcher	12/1
10	10Kinenos (KY)	Jose Lezcano	118	Brad H. Cox	20/1