Gufo Edges Japan in Sword Dancer Photo Finish
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Joe Labozzetta
Gufo (right) holds off Japan to win the Sword Dancer at Saratoga
Gufo was ready when the real running started Aug. 28 in the $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course, and that early jump into the lead at the top of the stretch gave him just enough of a cushion to prevail at the end of the 1 1/2 miles.
With Joel Rosario up, the 4-year-old son of Declaration of War needed just about all that advantage, too, as Japan and Ryan Moore were rolling right up alongside as they flashed under the wire. Cross Border was along for third with Rockemperor fourth as Gufo finished in 2:28.30 over firm going on a cloudy day at the Spa.
Rosario and winning trainer Christophe Clement credited an equipment change with moving Gufo up to his second grade 1 victory. He now is 2-for-2 since the addition of blinkers in his previous start.
"I think it was the blinkers a little bit," Rosario said. "It moved him a little bit forward."
"The race set up perfect," Clement said. "There was plenty of pace. The stable has been lucky that way this year. This is fun, and it's the kind of race we like to win.
"He seems to be running better, more mature, with blinkers on," Clement added. "My only instruction today was, you know, 'Do whatever you want but not to hit him.' Because every time you hit him, he seems to lug in or lug out."
That was not an issue in the Sword Dancer. What almost was an issue was the late effort Moore coaxed out of Japan.
As the early leaders, Channel Maker and Tribhuvan , started to shorten stride into the stretch and Gufo was pulling Rosario into the race, Japan was caught behind rivals and inside Gufo. Moore had to move the Galileo 5-year-old out to get him room and he responded willingly before running out of ground, beaten just a neck.
That was an encouraging showing for the Coolmore partners who own Japan. As a 3-year-old, he won twice at the group 1 level and finished a respectable fourth in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) at ParisLongchamp. In nine intervening starts, he had only two wins, both in group 3s.
"He ran very well today," Moore said. "I was pleased with it."
Gufo and his connections in the winner's circle after the Sword Dancer Stakes
Gufo also had a stellar 3-year-old season, winning four of six starts including the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T). He opened 2021 with a narrow loss in the Man o' War Stakes (G1T) and was third in the Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes (G1T) before winning the Grand Couturier Stakes at Belmont Park July 5 in his first start at 1 1/2 miles. From 12 career starts, he has a 7-2-3 record and earnings of $1,138,510.
Gufo, out of the Petionville mare Floy , was bred in Kentucky by John Little and Stephen Cainelli and races in the green and gold colors of Otter Bend Stables. He is the second millionaire produced from his dam, the other being the late Hogy , a multiple stakes winner who made more than $1.3 million. The mare foaled a Preservationist filly this year, already named Poet . She was bred to Hard Spun for 2022.
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The Sword Dancer was a Breeders' Cup Challenge event offering fees and a guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the Nov. 6 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) at Del Mar. Clement was not in a hurry to discuss that—or even the Oct. 9 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1T) at Belmont as a potential prep.
"This is fabulous," he said. "But let's go one race at a time. We'll enjoy this and go from there."