Arklow Seeks "Threepeat" in Kentucky Turf Cup

Arklow  has won the Kentucky Turf Cup (G2T) twice but the 8-year-old faces a tough task as he seeks a "threepeat" in the $1 million renewal Sept. 10 at Kentucky Downs.

Standing squarely in his way is Gufo , a multiple graded stakes winner fresh off his second victory in the Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course. Also in the overflow field is Red Knight , another 8-year-old gelding who finished second to Arklow in the 2020 Turf Cup at the unique track on the Kentucky-Tennessee border.

Arklow, an Arch  horse out of the Empire Maker  mare Unbridled Empire , is trained by Brad Cox for Donegal Racing in partnership with Joseph Bulger. He holds an important ace coming into the race: Experience over the course and at the 1 1/2-mile distance.

With two wins and two seconds from four starts at Kentucky Downs, Arklow knows the drill. He won the Cup in 2018, finished second in 2019, and won again in 2020—all when it was a grade 3 sponsored by Calumet Farm. The race was awarded grade 2 status in 2021 and Arklow reported second, a neck behind Imperador .

Florent Geroux, who rode in both the 2020 and 2021 editions, returns at the controls.

Gufo, a 5-year-old son of Declaration of War  trained by Christophe Clement, makes his Kentucky Downs debut fresh off the Sword Dancer win Aug. 27. A year ago, he got a longer break before returning to finish third in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park Oct. 9 and went on to finish 10th in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) at Del Mar.

Gufo was installed as the 7-5 morning-line favorite and jockey Joel Rosario, who last year won a record 17 races at the Kentucky Downs meeting, said he looks like the race should suit him despite lack of experience at the course.

"I mean, he's a strong horse," Rosario said. "He looks like he loves those big, long races. We'll see how he handles the track. We don't know until we go and see. He's been running really well. Every time he runs, he gets better."

Red Knight returns after winning the Colonial Cup Stakes at Colonial Downs in Virginia in his last start July 27. The New York-bred, trained by Mike Maker, is not eligible for the $450,000 in the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund portion of the $1 million purse and is one of three in the field running only for the base $550,000.

The others are Breakpoint , a group 1 winner in South America who finished seventh last year in the Turf Cup, and Another Mystery . Another Mystery, an Illinois-bred, 6-year-old son of Temple City   trained by Chris Block for the family's Team Block, comes off a second to Red Knight in Virginia and has been known to spring an upset.

"He's doing well," Block said. "Tough race."

"Mystery always tries hard. You never know how a horse that runs at Kentucky Downs for the first time will handle the course. But I think he will."

Among the others, Glynn County  was third in the 2021 Turf Cup and is the only runner other than Arklow with a win over the course, that a maiden event in 2020. Maker trains him in addition to Red Knight; Temple , who is 0-for-3 at Kentucky Downs; and Keystone Field , who steps up from the optional claiming ranks at Churchill Downs.

The Kentucky Turf Cup, which is a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" race for the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T), will be televised on CNBC during an hour-long program along with the FanDuel Turf Sprint Stakes (G2T). Coverage with host Ahmed Fareed, analyst and handicapper Matt Bernier, and reporter Nick Luck begins at 4 p.m. CT.

Entries: Kentucky Turf Cup S. (G2T)

Kentucky Downs, Saturday, September 10, 2022, Race 10

• Grade IIT
• 1 1/2m
• Turf
• $1,000,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 4:45 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Red Knight (NY)	Gerardo Corrales	124	Michael J. Maker	15/1
2	2Breakpoint (CHI)	Tyler Baze	124	Neil D. Drysdale	15/1
3	3Temple (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	124	Michael J. Maker	6/1
4	4Arklow (KY)	Florent Geroux	122	Brad H. Cox	7/2
5	5Keystone Field (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	122	Michael J. Maker	30/1
6	6Glynn County (KY)	Vincent Cheminaud	122	Michael J. Maker	30/1
7	7Admission Office (KY)	John R. Velazquez	124	Brian A. Lynch	10/1
8	8Gufo (KY)	Joel Rosario	124	Christophe Clement	7/5
9	9Who's the Star (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	124	Mark E. Casse	20/1
10	10Another Mystery (IL)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	124	Chris M. Block	15/1
11	11Rogue Element (KY)	Adam Beschizza	124	Jeff A. Hiles	30/1
12	12Highest Honors (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	122	Chad C. Brown	12/1
13	13Militarist (KY)	Jose Lezcano	122	Carlo Vaccarezza	20/1