Tribuhaven Meets Channel Maker, Gufo in Sword Dancer

The reigning turf champion could pass his crown along to a new budding star in the turf division after the Aug. 28 running of the $750,000 Resorts World Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course.

While defending Sword Dancer titleholder Channel Maker  has struggled to return to the top form that saw him soar to an empathic 5 3/4 length victory in last year's race, the Chad Brown-trained Tribuhaven has never been better. The bay gelding left quite an impression in his last start, a career-best wire-to-wire triumph in the July 17 United Nations Stakes (G1T) at Monmouth Park.

Now, Tribuhaven faces the greatest test of his career thus far in the 1 1/2 mile turf contest for 4-years-old and up, lining up against Channel Maker, grade 1 victors Gufo  and Japan , and recent Bowling Green Stakes (G2T) captor Cross Border . The Sword Dancer is a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" race for the Nov. 6 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) at Del Mar.

Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Michael Caruso's Tribuhaven, carrying top weight of 124 pounds in the Sword Dancer, has won three starts in North America since coming to the U.S. from France. The son of Toronado  finished second and third in two allowance optional claiming races, sandwiched between a frustrating run in the 2020 Fort Marcy Stakes (G2T) in which he was pulled up before the wire with a broken rein. Tribuhaven embarked on a spell of absence from the races after his July allowance victory and didn't return under colors until the Fort Marcy Stakes (G2T) this May. During his freshening, the French-bred was gelded.

Chad Brown remarked that Tribuhaven has come back as a 5-year-old as not only a stronger horse but a horse with a different running style completely.

 "(Tribuhaven) surprised me that he's turned into the front-running horse that he is now," said Brown. "We've gone on with it and he's changed since we gelded him as well. He's developing beyond my expectations and I'm really proud of the horse. He continues to get better."

After setting all the pace in the Fort Marcy, handily defeating his stablemate, the hard-knocking Rockemperor , Tribuhaven nearly stole the Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes (G1T) on Belmont Stakes Day. He breezed through snappy early fractions in the Manhattan before caught late by multiple grade 1 winner Domestic Spending  in deep stretch.

Breaking from the inside post, which should suit the frontrunner, Flavien Prat will retain the mount on Tribhaven for Saturday's battle.

If Watchel Stable, Gary Barber, R.A. Hill Stable, and Reeves Thoroughbreds' Channel Maker runs to his potential, the 7-year-old gelding should be a major player. When the Bill Mott trainee is able to secure the lead, he's tough, as evidenced by his back-to-back gate-to-wire scores in last year's Sword Dancer and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1T).

"(Channel Maker) does like it here," said Mott. "I suppose a lot depends upon how the race shapes up for him. That's always important."

An earner of over $3.2 million in a 40-start career, Channel Maker began his 2021 campaign with a game runner-up effort in the $1 million Neom Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia. The English Channel   gelding has failed to hit the board in two starts since returning to that effort, however. He finished nine lengths behind the victorious Cross Border in the July 31 Bowling Green Stakes (G2T) over this course in a comeback race.

Also second in this race in 2018 and fourth in 2019, Channel Maker will have Manuel Franco in the irons.

"He's a very durable horse," said Mott.  "He stays in good flesh, eats good, shows up to work every day. He doesn't have a lot of issues. He's just been a real warrior."

Otter Bend Stables' Gufo enters the Sword Dancer field off an authoritative win in the July 5 Grand Courtier Stakes at Belmont. Since capturing the Belmont Derby (G1T) last fall, the son of Declaration of War  has been knocking at the door for another top-level victory, racking up placings in the Hollywood Derby (G1T), Man O'War Stakes (G1T), and Manhattan Stakes (G1T).

Dual group 1 winner Japan ships over from Ireland to represent trainer Aidan O'Brien in the Sword Dancer. O'Brien has been highly successful with his runners this year in the U.S., sending over Bolshoi Ballet  and Santa Barbara  for grade 1 triumphs.

Japan, a 5-year-old son of Galileo , has posted two group 3 wins this year in Europe, including a last-out score in the Green Room Meld Stakes (G3) at Leopardstown Racecourse.

Bowling Green Stakes (G2T) first- and second-place finishers Cross Border and Rockemperor, as well as the Todd Pletcher trainee Moretti , whose experience has come on dirt, complete the field.

Entries: Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer S. (G1T)

Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, August 28, 2021, Race 11

• Grade I
• 1 1/2m
• Inner turf
• $750,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 5:25 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Tribhuvan (FR)	Flavien Prat	124	Chad C. Brown	2/1
2	2Gufo (KY)	Joel Rosario	122	Christophe Clement	3/1
3	3Rockemperor (IRE)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Chad C. Brown	6/1
4	4Channel Maker (ON)	Manuel Franco	122	William I. Mott	8/1
5	5Moretti (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	118	Todd A. Pletcher	15/1
6	6Japan (GB)	Ryan L. Moore	120	Aidan P. O'Brien	9/2
7	7Cross Border (NY)	Luis Saez	122	Michael J. Maker	4/1