Grand Couturier Looks for "Threepeat" in Sword Dancer

by Patricia Woo | Aug 10 2009

Mark Keller's Grand Couturier is looking to win Saturday's $500,000 Sword Dancer Invitational (G1) at Belmont Park for the third consecutive year, and will have to do battle again with last year's runner-up Better Talk Now, who is still going strong at the age of 10.

Robert Ribaudo trains Grand Couturier, a six-year-old son of Grand Lodge who has won seven of his 20 career starts with lifetime earnings of $1,241,100.

The six-year-old has made two starts this year, and finished fifth in both outings.

His first start of '09 came in the $200,000 Monmouth Stakes, which was his first start since an eleventh place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) last October.

Presious Passion went gate to wire to win the Monmouth, while Grand Couturier made a mild late run up the rail, finishing two lengths behind the winner.

His second start this year came in the $500,000 Man O' War (G1) at Belmont Park on July 11. Sent off at just under 7/1, the six year old was shuffled back in the early going, came with a six-wide run around the far turn and did not have enough punch in the stretch, finishing four lengths behind the winner.

The winner of the race was Gio Ponti, who came back last Saturday to win the Arlington Million (G1) in very impressive fashion for his fourth consecutive Grade 1 victory.

Has the six-year-old lost a step or two, or is the third time off the bench the charm? The odds might be on the short side, making him tough to back as his goes for his "threepeat".

Two runners that may be worth a look are the runner-up and third-place finishers behind Gio Ponti in the Man O' War.

The Roger Attfield trainee Musketier was up on the pace in the Man O' War, drifting out in the stretch while unable to hold off the winner inside the final furlong.

The seven-year-old is a six-time winner on turf with earnings of $492,430. The runner took '08 off, and since Attfield changed his running style, putting him up front in his last two starts, his recent form has improved dramatically.

Quijano checked in third in the Man O' War, beaten 2 ¼ lengths for the top spot. The seven-year-old gelding had to wait for some running room coming out of the far turn and finished up well when angled to the outside in the stretch.

The German-bred horse is trained by Pete Schiergen and will be making just his second start in the U.S. The gelding has accumulated more than $2.3 million in earnings, winning 14 of his 28 career starts.

Better Talk Now, the 2004 Breeders' Cup Turf champion, is the senior citizen of the group, still racing at the age of 10.

Graham Motion trains this veteran, who is coming off a solid third in the $400,000 Manhattan (G1) behind Gio Ponti.

The gelding gave Grand Couturier all he could handle in this race last year, coming with a good six-wide rally and coming up just two lengths short of the two-time winner of the race.

While the gelding is getting long in the tooth, if Motion continues to campaign him that means he still has something left in the tank. The gelding also might be overlooked in the betting.

Brass Hat, the winner of the $100,000 Louisville (G3) two back at Churchill Downs, will be a longshot in the race. The gelding has won just one of nine starts on turf and was no match for Presious Passion in his last start in the United Nations (G1) at Monmouth Park.

Americain will be making his U.S. debut, landing with trainer Todd Pletcher. The four-year-old son of Dynaformer was last seen in May winning a Group 3 in France.

The German-bred Lauro chased Presious Passion in vain in the United Nations, as the gate-to-wire winner opened up a lead of more than 20 lengths.

The six-year-old cut into the margin in the stretch and was two lengths shy at the wire. His lone win since coming to the U.S. was the Sky Classic (G2) at Woodbine last October.

Rising Moon exits the Suburban (G2) on the main track, a third-place finish behind the winner Dry Martini. The six-year-old's lone win on turf was his maiden score back in ’07.

Possible for the race is Strike a Deal, who has only won one of his last ten starts, the Red Smith (G2) over yielding turf last November at Aqueduct.

While this race is not a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" race this year, the Sword Dancer is a key prep for the Breeders' Cup Turf.

English Channel finished second in the Sword Dancer in '07 and went on to win the Breeders' Cup Turf. Better Talk Now won the '04 edition of the Sword Dancer and parlayed the win into a victory in the Breeders' Cup Turf that year.

Theatrical pulled off the Sword Dancer-Breeders' Cup Turf double in 1987.