Gufo will get blinkers for next start

ELMONT, N.Y. – Gufo, the Grade 1 Belmont Derby winner who was third to Domestic Spending in the Grade 1 Manhattan earlier this month, will be equipped with blinkers for his next start, trainer Christophe Clement said Sunday.

Gufo is likely to run next in the $150,000 Grand Couturier on July 5 at Belmont, though the Grade 1, $500,000 United Nations on July 17 at Monmouth Park also is under consideration, Clement said. The Grade 1, $750,000 Sword Dancer on Aug. 28 at Saratoga is Gufo’s primary summer objective.

Clement said he considered putting blinkers on Gufo for the Manhattan. But given the softer turf and the possibility of more rain, had the horse not run well, Clement said he wouldn’t be sure if it was because of the ground or the equipment change.

In the Manhattan, Gufo was last, 17 lengths off the pace, before commencing a rally that ended with him finishing four lengths behind Domestic Spending. On Saturday, Gufo worked in blinkers, going a half-mile in 48.64 seconds, in company with City Man.

“He had a nice work. The idea is to run back with blinkers, just to help the jockey get some kind of position in the race,” Clement said.

Before deciding where next to run Gufo, Clement said he would like to study more races at Monmouth Park, which this year are being run with jockeys not being able to use the whip for encouragement.

“When you come from so far [back], it’d be nice for a jockey to be able to use his stick to be able to help him out a little bit,” Clement said.