Gufo Prevails Late, Defends Sword Dancer Title
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Gufo wins the Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
One year after fending off Japan in a tight finish to the wire, Gufo retained his title in the $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) with another valiant winning effort Aug. 27 at Saratoga Race Course.
Otter Bend Stables' Gufo, now a grade 1 winner at ages 3, 4, and 5, had the race play right into his hands as the frontrunning Tribhuvan ensured a solid pace up front. The two-time grade 1 winner carved out splits of :24.39, :48.98, and 1:13.99 before attempting to steal away the race on the far turn. Joel Rosario began to scrub on Gufo with three furlongs to go and once the sizeable son of Declaration of War got moving, there was no stopping him.
Gufo thundered down the stretch to prevail over Mira Mission late. In a blanket of closing finishes, Mira Mission held place honors over Gufo's stablemate Soldier Rising with favored Broome back in fourth.
The 1 1/2 miles was ran in 2:28.92. Gufo, trained by Christophe Clement, returned $10.80 from a $2 win ticket.
Gufo earned an automatic berth to the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) this fall at Keeneland as the Sword Dancer is a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" event.