3 minute read

Aidan O’Brien is just denied another big-race success in America.

Gufo  narrowly denied Aidan O'Brien more big-race success as Japan had to settle for second in the Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga.

Ballydoyle's Santa Barbara  and Bolshoi Ballet  have claimed three Grade Ones between them on their transatlantic ventures this summer – and Japan, a dual Group One winner in 2019, went in search of more glory on Saturday night.

But he and Ryan Moore were just unable to haul back favourite Gufo, who prevailed by a neck for trainer Christophe Clement and jockey Joel Rosario in the Grade One mile-and-a-half contest on the inner turf track.

Gufo, last year's Belmont Derby hero, challenged from off the pace before leading a furlong out and holding off Japan's late effort.

Clement told www.nyra.com: "I am delighted with this horse and the way he ran today.

"He is a top-class horse. He's always been a top-class horse."

Moore had praise too in defeat for Japan.

He said: "He ran very well today. I was pleased with it (the performance)."

Elsewhere on a classy card, Essential Quality took his prolific winning record to eight in nine career starts with his fourth Grade One success in the Travers Stakes.

The Godolphin colt, already hero of the Belmont Stakes this year, had a neck to spare this time as he got the better of a tussle with Midnight Bourbon.

Luis Saez always just appeared to have the measure of the runner-up, on Brad Cox's odds-on favourite, with the pair five lengths clear of their rivals.

Cox said: "Luis did a good job of recognising that there wouldn't be a whole lot of pace.

"He established good position and didn't let Midnight Bourbon get too far away up the backside.

"I was a little worried up the backside once he cleared up with softer fractions. (But) he's a tremendous horse. He's a champion and he ran like one today."

Rosario initiated his Grade One double on the card when Jackie's Warrior took the H Allen Jerkens Memorial by a neck from favourite Life Is Good after an epic stretch battle – completing a top-level double for trainer Steve Asmussen, whose Yaupon prevailed narrowly in the preceding Forego Stakes, despite the attention of Firenze Fire.

Letruska was a Grade One heroine in the Personal Ensign Stakes, the odds-on favourite winning for the fourth time in succession and taking her top-level tally to three for trainer Fausto Gutierrez.

Another odds-on favourite, Bob Baffert's prolific filly Gamine, won the Grade One Ballerina Handicap under John Velazquez.