Betting With, and Against, Gufo in the Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes

$10 exacta: 8 with 3, 4 ($20)
$1 trifecta: 8 with 3, 4 with all ($20)
50-cent trifecta: 8 with all with 3, 4 ($10)

Gufo winning the Belmont Derby (G1) (Photo by Coglianese Photography/NYRA)

September 8th, 2022

An overflow field of 13 will travel 1 1/2 miles over the unique Kentucky Downs turf in Saturday’s $1 million Kentucky Turf Cup S. (G2). #8 Gufo (7-5) defended his title in the Sword Dancer S. (G1) at Saratoga last time out and is the one to beat in this spot.

Trained by Christophe Clement, the stout five-year-old son of Declaration of War has been a high-level performer since early in his career, and he responded well to having the blinkers back on at The Spa in his latest venture.

Gufo wheels back relatively quickly in advance of his local bow, and he thrives at the distance evidenced by his 6-4-0-1 mark at 12 furlongs. Regular rider Joel Rosario will be taking him back in the early stages of the race. Gufo could be vulnerable, however, at short odds on a surface that he has never run upon.

#4 Arklow (7-2) boasts a 4-2-2-0 mark at Kentucky Downs and fell a neck shy in the contest last campaign of becoming a repeat winner of the event. Trained by Brad Cox, the ageless eight-year-old continues to run especially well and comes off of a fine try when falling a half-length shy in the Bowling Green S. (G2) at Saratoga. The bay son of Arch has every right to improve on Saturday while making his second run since October, and his success locally makes him very dangerous with go-to pilot Florent Geroux in the irons.

#3 Temple (6-1) has tactical speed in a field lacking pace and will get first run on the deeper closers on this occasion. The Mike Maker trainee has yet to win on the oval following a trio of tries on the course, but he was a closing third in the United Nations (G1) at Monmouth Park last time out off the shelf, and I can see him being in the mix for a long time under pilot Jose Ortiz.