Grand Couturier the right spot for Gufo to prep for Sword Dancer

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Christophe Clement had three options for Gufo as he seeks to get a race into him prior to the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga on Aug. 28.

By choosing Monday’s $150,000 Grand Couturier Stakes at 1 1/2 miles at Belmont Park, Clement hopes he’s chosen the path of least resistance.

There were various reasons Clement chose the Grand Couturier over the United Nations (July 17 at Monmouth) and Bowling Green (July 31 at Saratoga). Ultimately, the timing of the race – 54 days before the Sword Dancer – and the fact it’s at Belmont Park were the key factors. Had Clement chosen to run Gufo in the United Nations at Monmouth, jockey Joel Rosario would not be able to use the whip, and Clement said Rosario told him he didn’t want to ride the late-running Gufo without one.

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Gufo, who won the Grade 1 Belmont Derby here last fall, is coming off a third-place finish behind Domestic Spending in the Grade 1 Manhattan here on June 5, a race in which he was 17 lengths off the pace early on.

Clement has trained Gufo in blinkers, equipment he will wear for the first time in a race in the Grand Couturier, which is expected to be run over less-than-firm turf.

“Blinkers in the morning really got him much more into contention and he worked very well in them,” Clement said. “I’m not a big fan of using blinkers first time out on softer turf, but I don’t have the choice.”

Gufo breaks from post 6 under Rosario.

The Grand Couturier drew a solid cast including stakes winners Moon Over Miami and Red Knight, both from the Bill Mott barn, and Fantasioso and Kinenos, second and fourth in the two-mile Belmont Gold Cup.

Trainer Brad Cox believes Kinenos is “true mile-and-a-half horse,” and thought he ran well in the two-mile Gold Cup, run over yielding turf.

“I thought he flattened a little bit late,” Cox said. “I don’t know if that was the turf or the distance. I think he’s doing well. He’s run okay on soft turf before. I’m assuming we’re going to have soft turf.”

Moon Over Miami is coming off a third in the Grade 1 Man o’ War, a neck behind Gufo, who was beaten a nose for the win. Last September, Moon Over Miami won the Dueling Grounds Derby going 1 5/16-miles at Kentucky Downs.

Red Knight, a 7-year-old New York-bred, is 4 for 9 at Belmont, including a victory in the Point of Entry Stakes at 1 1/2 miles in October 2019. Most recently, he finished second, a length behind Arklow in the Grade 3 Louisville, also at 1 1/2 miles.

The 8-year-old Grade 1 winner Sadler’s Joy returns from a three-month layoff in this spot. Epic Bromance, Tide of the Sea, Burning Bright, and Shamrocket complete the field.