Declaration of War

The three-time Grade I winner Gufo (Declaration of War-Floy, by Petionville) has been retired and will arrive at WinStar Farm in Versailles, Kentucky on Wednesday, where potential buyers will have the opportunity to examine him as a stallion prospect. "Gufo had a minor training setback, and his owner, Stephen Cainelli, made the decision to retire him and find him a new career as a stallion," said his trainer, Christophe Clement. "Gufo is leaving Payson Park on Tuesday, and he is on his way to WinStar, where he will be available...

Fire At Will (Declaration of War), winner of the 2020 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, had his first mare bred -- Day Dayenu (Into Mischief)  -- reported in foal. Fire At Will stands at Sequel New York for a fee of $6,000.

Keepmeinmind (Laoban--Inclination, by Victory Gallop), whose prowess on the track first brought sire Laoban to the national forefront, and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner and Eclipse finalist Fire At Will (Declaration of War--Flirt, by Kitten's Joy) join Honest Mischief, Freud and Mission Impazible at Sequel New York's stallion roster, bringing diverse and interesting options for Thoroughbred breeders in the Empire State. Bred by Southern Equine Stables, the physically impressive Keepmeinmind broke his maiden in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. in November of his 2-year-old season. Prior to that,...

Fasig-Tipton has added a pair of offerings to its March Digital Sale, which is now open for bidding. Bidding closes Tuesday, March 7 at 2 PM ET. The new entries include: Mount Craig (Arrogate) (Hip 11): 4-year-old racing/stallion prospect who placed in maiden special weight company at Oaklawn Park on March 2. Mount Craig hails from the immediate family of Eclipse Champion Good Magic (Curlin). Cajun Kid (Lemon Drop Kid) (Hip 42): 5-year-old broodmare prospect from the immediate family of Grade I winners Union Rags (Dixie Union) and Declaration of...

Bidding is now open for the "Fire At Will Flash Sale," a one-horse auction on Fasig-Tipton Digital of GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Fire At Will (Declaration of War--Flirt, by Kitten's Joy). The 5-year-old is consigned as a stallion prospect by Bluewater Sales, agent. Bidding will close this coming Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 2 PM ET. "This is, perhaps, the most powerful stallion family in the world today," said noted pedigree expert Alan Porter. The Kentucky-bred is out of the unraced Flirt, a half-sister to Grade I winner Decorated...

Otter Bend Stables LLC's Gufo (Declaration of War) employed his oft-decisive turn of foot to find daylight at a crucial stage of Saturday's GI Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer Invitational S. at Saratoga and kicked home smartly to peg back the progressive Mira Misson (Noble Mission {GB}) in the waning strides and successfully defend his title in the 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland Nov. 5. Soldier Rising (GB) (Frankel {GB}) closed off well from the back of the pack to complete...

Big Invasion (Declaration of War)'s enormous kick carried him home to a sixth victory in a row in Saratoga's Mahony S. by three effortless lengths. Coming into the race with four straight stakes victories, the GIII Quick Call July 17 at this venue among them, he was hammered down to 1-5 favoritism in his quest to continue the streak and he made it look a gift. He was equally dominant in the May 29 Paradise Creek at Belmont, William Walker at Churchill Downs May 4, and in the Texas Glitter...

While the 3-year-old picture was focused primarily in New York Saturday with the GI Belmont S. and the GI Woody Stephens S., Hopper (Declaration of War) threw his hat into the ring from the other coast with a facile victory in the GIII Affirmed S. at Santa Anita. It was a short field, but the exacta horses both hailed from the Sean McCarthy barn while the trifecta was filled out by three former Bob Baffert pupils. When the stall doors flew, Hopper immediately hightailed it the front from the one...

Otter Bend Stables LLC's super consistent Gufo (Declaration of War) held off a furious late bid from European invader Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) to score the second highest-level win of his career in Saturday's GI Sword Dancer S. at Saratoga--a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. Last seen annexing the Grand Couturier S. over this trip downstate July 5, the 5-2 shot was content to sit at the back early along the rail. He crept closer as they approached the final turn after a mile...

While Memorial Day weekend is thought of as the kick off to the beginning of summer, for Ryder Finney, it also serves as the unofficial start of sales prep season. Early mornings of bringing in the yearlings, lengthy handwalking sessions under the hot summer sun and tedious hours monitoring the walker. All while analyzing every minute change in each yearling at Bluewater. It's his favorite time of year. "This time of year you see an unbelievable transformation in a lot of them," Finney said. "Their winter hair falls off and...

Sent off at 9-2 following a troubled third last out in Aqueduct's GIII Gazelle S., Army Wife (Declaration of War) came from off the pace to collect her first graded victory in Friday's GII George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan S. at Pimlico. Lady Traveler (Quality Road) went to the front, leading Adventuring (Pioneerof the Nile) and 2-1 choice Beautiful Gift (Medaglia d'Oro) as Army Wife settled in a rail-skimming sixth early. Eagerly pulling herself into contention exiting the far turn, she checked slightly when trying to find room between the...

On the day that the leading grass juvenile of 2020 rolls the dice on the GI Kentucky Derby trail, here's a really important question for every American horseman. Just what was it about European turf star Mishriff (Ire) that qualified him to run down as irresistible a dirt runner as Charlatan (Speightstown) for the richest prize in our sport last weekend? The answer is so straightforward that it condenses into a single word, yet the implications continue to elude almost everyone in our industry. And that word is: opportunity. There...