Gufo Set for 2022 Debut in Pan American Stakes

Two-time grade 1 winner Gufo  is scheduled to make his first start of the 2022 season in the $200,000 Pan American Stakes Presented by Rood & Riddle (G2T) April 2 on the Gulfstream Park turf.

The 5-year-old son of Declaration of War  will make his first start since an off-the-board finish in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) Nov. 6 at Del Mar. In Saturday's 1 1/2-mile turf test for older horses, Otter Bend Stables' Gufo will try for his fourth win on the Gulfstream turf in as many starts.

Miguel Clement, assistant to his father, trainer Christophe Clement, noted that the Breeders' Cup marked a rare poor outing for Gufo, who has won or placed in 13 of his 14 races.

"There were perhaps a lot of factors going against him that day, pace being one of them," Clement said. "He had a very bad draw. He never settled throughout the first part of the race because it was a paceless race. He was perhaps a bit too keen, and it was perhaps one race too many for the campaign. Previously he was never out of the money. He is very consistent and he had never run a bad race."

Gufo will race without blinkers Saturday, a change from his past four outings. Regular rider Joel Rosario will guide when Gufo starts from post 3 in the expected field of seven.

"We will take the blinkers off and it will be up to Joel Rosario to figure it out. This is a horse with a lot of ability, and the trip has to be timed just right," Clement said. "He has a great turn of foot, so we're looking forward to getting him back to the races. I'm excited for him."

Also Saturday, older fillies and mares will try the same distance on the turf in the $150,000 Orchid Stakes (G3T) where Beautiful Lover  will try to close out her career in style.

Moyglare Stud Farm's Beautiful Lover, also trained by Clement, is scheduled to be retired to the breeding shed after Saturday's race, where she will try to secure her second graded stakes win of the season after knocking down the La Prevoyante Stakes (G3T) to open her 6-year-old season. She'll try to bounce back after finishing fourth in The Very One Stakes (G3T) March 5 at Gulfstream.

"She won a grade 3 and came back a bit below form last time out. I still think she's training well," trainer Clement said of the Arch  mare. "It will be her last race before she's being retired. The idea is to run her there and then become a broodmare."

The morning-line favorite in Saturday's expected field of seven is group 3 winner Harajuku , who finished third in The Very One for owner Flaxman Holdings and trainer Graham Motion.

Entries: Pan American S. Presented by Rood & Riddle (G2T)

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, April 02, 2022, Race 9

• Grade IIT
• 1 1/2m
• Turf
• $200,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 3:37 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Novo Sol (BRZ)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	20/1
2	2Mid Day Image (NY)	Paco Lopez	118	Luis Carvajal, Jr.	12/1
3	3Gufo (KY)	Joel Rosario	122	Christophe Clement	9/5
4	4Tide of the Sea (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	122	Michael J. Maker	20/1
5	5Abaan (KY)	Luis Saez	124	Todd A. Pletcher	8/5
6	6Temple (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	124	Michael J. Maker	5/2
7	7Bakers Bay (KY)	Junior Alvarado	118	Claude R. McGaughey III	20/1

Entries: Orchid S. (G3T)

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, April 02, 2022, Race 3

• Grade IIIT
• 1 1/2m
• Turf
• $150,000
• 4 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 12:28 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Sister Otoole (FL)	Luis Saez	117	H. Graham Motion	10/1
2	2Harajuku (IRE)	Junior Alvarado	120	H. Graham Motion	9/5
3	3Scarabea (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	117	Jack Sisterson	8/1
4	4Song of Innocence (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	117	Jonathan Thomas	20/1
5	5Champagne Ivy (KY)	Javier Castellano	117	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	15/1
6	6Beautiful Lover (FL)	Joel Rosario	123	Christophe Clement	3/1
7	7Family Way (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	120	Brendan P. Walsh	2/1