Preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Turf will be cranking up another gear on Saturday as the Sword Dancer Stakes takes place at Saratoga.
Returning to the New York state track is last year’s winner Gufo, who edged out Japan by a neck twelve months ago. Again partnered by Joel Rosario and trained by Christophe Clement, Gufo has a chance to be the first horse since Flintshire in 2016 to win back-to-back Sword Dancers.
Beginning the season well with a win in the Grade 2 Pan-American Stakes at Gulfstream Park, the 5-year-old has not tasted victory since, finishing third, second and fifth in three Grade 1s. This form puts him as joint-second favourite with William Hill at 6.50.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: August 26, 12:00 P.M (BST)
Leading the market is the Irish challenger Broome at 2.87. A former entrant of the Epsom Derby, Irish Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the 6-year-old won the Hardwicke Stakes at Ascot this term before only managing fourth in the King George & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at the same course last month.
Three-time British flat racing champion Ryan Moore is in the saddle for trainer Aidan O’Brien.
Having raced in France for the first two years of his career, Adhamo is now lining up for his fifth race in the States and is level with Gufo at 6.50.
Hitting form at the right time by winning the Grade 1 United Nations Stakes last time out, the 4-year-old from Chad C. Brown’s yard will again be ridden by Flavien Prat. He could be hindered by carrying 8-12, the joint-most in the race.
Adhamo is owned by Madaket Stables as are three of the next four in the market; Rockemperor, Tribhuvan and Soldier Rising at 7.50, 9.00 and 13.00 respectively.
Rockemperor won last time out at Saratoga and has won a Grade 1 over this distance in the last twelve months but is inconsistent. Tribhuvan enjoys pace-setting but might not hold on against such tough opposition while Soldier Rising has only finished outside the top two in two of his eleven starts, but they were his only two appearances in graded races.
Separating them at 11.00 is Mira Mission for Ian Wilkes. A disappointing sixth over a mile at Saratoga last time, the signs suggest he may prefer the longer trip under Julien Leparoux.
8-year-olds Channel Maker (17.00) and Cross Border (21.00) cannot be completely discounted but at 67.00, Cold Hard Cash’s backers are likely to lose that very thing.
