Highland Chief Upsets Gufo, Yibir in Man o' War

When odds-on favorite Yibir  walked out of the starting gate at least a half-dozen lengths behind his four rivals in the $700,000 Man o' War Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park, a multitude of bettors might have given up on the 1-2 favorite.

But jockey William Buick was unfazed.

"I wasn't worried about the break. He did the same thing the last time he was here and he won," Buick said about the 2021 Eclipse Award winner's United States debut a year ago when he rallied from last to win the Jockey Club Invitational Stakes at Belmont. 

Even trainer Charlie Appleby, who had traveled across the Atlantic Ocean to saddle Godolphin's champion turf male of 2021, wasn't overly concerned when the homebred son of Dubawi  was six lengths behind the leader after the first quarter-mile.

What troubled him was the weather. Mid-afternoon rains added some moisture to the inner turf course and in the past that had been an Achilles heel for the 4-year-old.

It also tormented him in the Man o' War.

As much as Yibir and second choice Gufo  made wide, menacing moves into contention on the final turn, neither was able to collar a determined Highland Chief , who posted a length victory over Gufo with Yibir third in the May 14 turf stakes.

"The turf was a little bit on the slower side of where he likes to hear his feet rattle. It blunted his acceleration slightly, but you can't take anything away from the winner," said Appleby, whose colt now has a third and two seconds since he won the Nov. 6 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) to clinch North American champion male turf horse honors.

While the wet but firm course may not have been to Yibir's liking, it was perfect for Mrs. Fitriani Hay's homebred Highland Chief, a 5-year-old son of Gleneagles  who earned grade 1 honors for trainer Graham Motion in his second U.S. start.

"He was very game today," Motion said about Highland Chief ($40.40), the 19-1 longest shot on the board in the five-horse field. "I didn't know how much horse (jockey Trevor McCarthy) would have. He's a funny horse in the morning and a little bit hard to read."

The start of the Man o' War for Yibir was a bit of a flashback for Highland Chief, who was pinched at the start and came away last of 12 when he finished ninth in an April 14 allowance optional claiming race at Aqueduct Racetrack in his U.S. debut.

It was a disappointing result for a horse who was group 2-placed for trainer Paul Cole in Europe, but Motion knew the son of the Gleneagles  had more talent than that.

"He had won at Royal Ascot (in 2020) and had some back class. He's run against some good horses but I can't tell you that I knew he was this good," said Motion, who listed a return trip to Royal Ascot or the June 11 Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes (G1T) at Belmont as the main possibilities for his horse's next start.

Searching for his first win after seven straight losses since his win in the Golden Gates Handicap at Royal Ascot, Highland Chief was second behind the pacesetting Abaan  through fractions of :51.84 and 1:17.60 in the 1 3/8-mile stakes. Leaving the quarter pole, McCarthy guided Highland Chief to the front and braced for the challenge from Gufo and Yibir, who were fourth and fifth, respectively after six furlongs.

"At the five-sixteenths pole I let him go and started to make an early move. I just wanted to get away from the other guys and it sure paid off," McCarthy said.

Neither of the grade 1 winners chasing him in the stretch put a dent in Highland Chief's lead as he maintained a length margin in the final furlong to cross the wire in 2:17.04 and give McCarthy his first grade 1 after nearly 9,900 mounts and more than 1,710 wins.

"It was pretty special. It's a great feeling. To win it for Graham, who has given me so much support in my career, it's really special. My father started riding for Graham and we got to be good friends with them and his family," McCarthy said. "I started at 15 and worked for Graham. As soon as I started to learn how to ride, I stayed at Fair Hill for three years. I would come in on the weekends and days off of school and ride out for him which was great. I learned so much from him and all his employees there at the time. To win it with so much history with him is great."

Motion also felt the excitement of the moment for McCarthy.

"It was kind of emotional. Trevor has ridden for me since he was 16. We go back a long way," said Motion, who also sent out Easter  to a fourth-place finish.

The Irish-bred Highland Chief is the fourth of seventh foals from the Montjeu  mare Pink Symphony  and her first graded stakes winner. She also has a yearling full brother to Highland Chief and a weanling filly by Churchill .

Otter Bend Stables' Gufo, a $1.49 million earner and grade 1 winner in each of the last two years, finished a neck ahead of Yibir and increased his highly consistent record to 8-3-4 from 16 starts.

"He tried very hard and was game to the end. I was feeling great when he made his move at the top of the stretch but he was second best and we'll live to fight another day," said trainer Christophe Clement, who lamented Gufo giving away six pounds (124-118) to the winner.

Clement said Gufo would likely target the Manhattan, a race in which the son of Declaration of War  was third last year.

Appleby said Yibir would return to Europe but will probably return to the United States for the Aug. 27 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course.

"We ran our race today, but in an ideal world if you asked me what I'd like to have had, it would be no rain," he said.

Video: Man o' War S. (G1T)