Sword Dancer Stakes 2022 – Breeders Cup Turf Second & Royal Ascot Winner Broome Favored

The big race on turf at Saratoga’s mega meet this Saturday, August 27, sees Irish raider Broome make a transatlantic trip for the Grade I Sword Dancer Stakes with top British jockey Ryan Moore coming over with him. 

Trainer Aidan O’Brien and owner-breeders Coolmore want to go one better with their six-year-old son of Epsom Derby hero Australia than his previous visit stateside. Broome placed behind Yibir in the Breeders Cup Turf during the World Championships at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club last fall.

Since that fine effort in California, he has won at the five-day Royal Ascot meet on June 18. From a wide-open field of 10 Sword Dancer Stakes runners, oddsmakers on offshore horse racing betting sites and racebooks narrowly favor Broome.

When Time & Date Is The Sword Dancer Stakes 2022?

Run over 1 1/2 miles (12 furlongs or about 2,400m), the Grade I Sword Dancer Stakes is a top turf race for four-year-old thoroughbreds and up at Saratoga Race Course with a post time of 6:05pm ET.

📅Date: Saturday August 27, 2022
🏇Racetrack: Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs, New York
💰 Purse: $750,000
📺 TV: FOX Sports

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Sword Dancer Stakes Runners 2022 – Our Guide to the Field

Broome comes an awful long way from Ireland to Upstate New York to again test himself against the best American turf horses over a 1 1/2 miles. Against him are the two previous winners of the Sword Dancer Stakes, Gufo from last year and 2020 hero Channel Maker.

Chad Brown also takes a scattergun approach here saddling three in Adhamo, Rockemperor and Tribhuvan, so this competitive race might steal the show in Saratoga Springs. Let’s take a look at each of the 10 runners in more detail…

1. Adhamo

• Trainer: Chad Brown
• Jockey: Flavien Prat
• Owners: Michael J. Caruso, Michael Dubb, Louis Lazzinnaro & Madaket Stables
• Age: 4
• Sire: Intello
• Record: 5 from 15
• Form: 2-3-1-1-1-1-4-7-3-6-8-2-3-2-1
• Morning Line Odds: 7-2 (+350) with BetOnline
• Notable Wins: United Nations Stakes
• Post Position: 1

Previously trained in France by Freddy Head, Adhamo joined the Brown barn earlier this year. The further he has raced, the better this four-year-old Intello colt has looked.

Making the show on all four starts since arriving in America, Adhamo looks tailor-made for the Sword Dancer Stakes after landing the Grade I United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park on his last run.

Brown barn buddy Tribhuvan was too quick for him at a 1 1/4 miles in the Manhattan Stakes at Belmont Park but he turned that form about in New Jersey on July 23. Adhamo might just be the best of his trainer’s trio in the line-up.

2. Cross Border

• Trainer: Michael J Maker
• Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
• Owners: Three Diamonds Farm
• Age: 8
• Sire: English Channel
• Record: 11 from 43
• Form: 2-2-6-4-7-8-3-8-1-4-4-4-1-1-2-1-1-1-5-6-2-2-5-1-1-2-6-3-2-3-3-7-2-1-3-7-5-1-5-4-5
• Morning Line Odds: 15-1 (+1500) with BetOnline
• Notable Wins: 2x Bowling Green Stakes
• Post Position: 2

After making the show in the Sword Dancer Stakes in the last couple years, Cross Border clearly likes Saratoga. The difference between then and now is this looks a deep race and the veteran didn’t win his usual prep run.

A two-time Grade II Bowling Green Stakes winner over 1 3/8 miles here, Cross Border trailed in last of five in his triple bid. The fact that he’s 0-7 at this longer distance is also a minus.

At the age of eight, this English Channel ridgling simply looks vulnerable to younger horses in opposition. Cross Border is 5-8 at Saratoga, so can’t be totally disregarded either.

3. Broome

• Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
• Jockey: Ryan Moore
• Owners: Masaaki Matsushima, Mr John Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith
• Age: 6
• Sire: Australia
• Record: 8 from 25
• Form: 5-1-6-2-2-1-1-4-6-4-0-1-1-1-2-2-1-4-2-0-2-0-5-1-4
• Morning Line Odds: 3-1 (+300) with BetOnline
• Notable Wins: Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, Hardwicke Stakes
• Post Position: 3

The Morning Line favorite, Broome, just got nailed on the line in the Breeders Cup Turf by Yibir with O’Brien stablemates Japan and Bolshoi Ballet not making the show in fourth and sixth spots last November.

That form is the reason why oddsmakers favor him for Sword Dancer Stakes success. Broome had re-opposing rivals Channel Maker (fifth), Rockemperor (eighth), Gufo (tenth) and Tribhuan (13th) all behind him and well down the field at Del Mar.

Whether they all gave their best in California remains to be seen. On that evidence, only Rockemperor had excuses with traffic problems in the run.

Broome can’t be anything but favorite for this as a result with victory in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes and a decent fourth in the King George, also at Ascot, in England this summer.

4. Cold Hard Cash

• Trainer: Linda Rice
• Jockey: John Velazquez
• Owners: Barry Schwartz
• Age: 5
• Sire: Maclean’s Music
• Record: 6 from 21
• Form: 3-2-8-1-2-1-2-4-2-1-6-3-4-2-1-3-2-1-6-3-1
• Morning Line Odds: 30-1 (+3000) with BetOnline
• Notable Wins: None
• Post Position: 4

With a 4-8 track record, Cold Hard Cash is another horse that likes Saratoga. The thing with Linda Rice’s runner is his career to date has all been in minor races.

She now throws Cold Hard Cash, who’s by the same sire as red-hot Forego Stakes favorite Jackie’s Warrior, in the deep end.

He needs to take his form to another level to even get involved here. That’s why Cold Hard Cash is the longshot of the Sword Dancer Stakes runners this year.

5. Rockemperor

• Trainer: Chad Brown
• Jockey: Irad Ortiz
• Owners: Michael J. Caruso, Michael Dubb, Michael E. Kisber, Madaket Stables & Wonder Stables
• Age: 6
• Sire: Holy Roman Emperor
• Record: 5 from 25
• Form: 1-2-3-2-1-2-6-3-6-3-3-2-3-5-3-5-1-2-4-1-8-5-5-5-1
• Morning Line Odds: 8-1 (+800) with BetOnline
• Notable Wins: Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, Bowling Green Stakes
• Post Position: 5

Last year’s fourth, Rockemperor, didn’t make the show, so has something to find with Gufo and Cross Border on that form. Brown’s son of Holy Roman Emperor did get a Grade I triumph, however, in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic.

With excuses for finishing down the field in the Breeders Cup Turf, Rockemperor comes to his second try at the Sword Dancer Stakes in better form. He won his prep race, the Bowling Green Stakes, here last month.

Rockemperor’s hold-up race style means he needs luck in the run or the pacesetters to fall away. Broome, meanwhile, can be ridden aggressively from the front and oddsmakers have clearly taken that into account with their forecast prices.

6. Gufo

• Trainer: Christophe Clement
• Jockey: Joel Rosario
• Owners: Otter Bend Stables
• Age: 6
• Sire: Declaration Of War
• Record: 8 from 18
• Form: 3-1-1-1-1-2-1-3-2-3-1-1-3-0-1-2-3-5
• Morning Line Odds: 9-2 (+450) with BetOnline
• Notable Wins: Sword Dancer Stakes, Pan American Stakes
• Post Position: 6

A winning favorite of this last year, Gufo mounts a defense of his crown in a bigger field than 12 months ago. He had four re-opposing rivals in-behind him that day but the form doesn’t look solid.

That’s because Gufo, who represents three-time Sword Dancer Stakes winning trainer Christophe Clement, saw Rockemperor turn it about in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park. He was also a disappointing tenth in the Breeders Cup Turf in the fall.

Although Gufo won the Grade II Pan American Stakes on his comeback at Gulfstream Park, Adhamo has twice finished in front of him since. He did finish off his race in the United Nations Stakes strongly last time, though, so stepping up in distance gives his fans plenty of hope.

7. Tribhuvan

• Trainer: Chad Brown
• Jockey: Manuel Franco
• Owners: Michael J. Caruso, Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables & Wonder Stables
• Age: 6
• Sire: Toronado
• Record: 6 from 24
• Form: 0-3-5-3-6-2-7-7-2-7-4-1-1-3-PU-1-1-2-1-5-0-5-1-4
• Morning Line Odds: 5-1 (+500) with BetOnline
• Notable Wins: United Nations Stakes, Manhattan Stakes
• Post Position: 7

Tribhuvan is some story. From running in French handicaps to a dual Grade I winner, he stepped up and ran a big-time career best in the United Nations Stakes last year.

Off the back of that, however, he disappointed when many handicappers favored him for the Sword Dancer Stakes. Tribhuvan weakened out of the show in the final furlong and finished fifth.

While the Toronado gelding has proved his Grade I success was no fluke when adding another to his resume, the Manhattan Stakes, this year, Adhamo turned it about on him when faded out of his United Nations defense.

There’s a question about Tribhuvan’s stamina definitely. That doesn’t stop oddsmakers from posting a positive Morning Line bulletin about his chance now that he tries 1 1/2 miles at Saratoga again.

8. Soldier Rising

• Trainer: Christophe Clement
• Jockey: Jose Ortiz
• Owners: Morris Bailey, Michael J. Caruso, Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables & Wonder Stables
• Age: 4
• Sire: Frankel
• Record: 4 from 12
• Form: 1-2-1-2-2-2-5-3-3-1-2-1
• Morning Line Odds: 15-1 (+1500) with BetOnline
• Notable Wins: None
• Post Position: 8

Second in both the Saratoga Derby and Jockey Club Derby last year, Soldier Rising has only been able to win a couple minor races since.

He could never catch State Of Rest, a Group 1 winner in Australia, France and England since, in the first of those runs but was staying on well down the home stretch.

The Clement barn could just have relied on Gufo mounting a defense of his Sword Dancer Stakes crown here, so it’s interesting that Soldier Rising steps up in grade and distance once more.

Just a neck separated this four-year-old Frankel gelding from Channel Maker on his penultimate outing in the Grand Couturier Stakes at Belmont Park on July 8. That rival is better off at the weights with Soldier Rising, but he remains a dark horse who could surprise handicappers.

9. Channel Maker

• Trainer: William Mott
• Jockey: Luis Saez
• Owners: Gary Barber, R. A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbreds & Wachtel Stable
• Age: 8
• Sire: English Channel
• Record: 9 from 46
• Form: 3-1-3-7-8-4-2-2-4-1-6-4-2-5-3-5-8-1-2-1-0-5-4-1-4-4-4-2-0-4-8-8-4-3-1-1-3-2-8-7-6-4-5-1-9-1
• Morning Line Odds: 8-1 (+800) with BetOnline
• Notable Wins: Bowling Green Stakes, 2x Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, Man o’ War Stakes, Sword Dancer Stakes, Elkhorn Stakes
• Post Position: 9

Channel Maker gave trainer William Mott a record fourth victory in this race two years ago. A two-time winner of the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, this veteran clearly retains all his ability.

For evidence of that, look no further than Channel Maker scoring on two of his three starts aged eight this year. A successful comeback in the Grade II Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland in April set him up for a fourth try at the Manhattan Stakes.

That just isn’t far enough for Channel Maker these days. He bounced back by defeating a horse half his age in Soldier Rising in the Grand Couturier Stakes also at Belmont Park when last in action.

In light of his lengthy career, many bettors who know and love Channel Maker may wager on him again. He isn’t open to any improvement, though, and that’s reflected in his forecast Sword Dancer Stakes odds.

10. Mira Mission

• Trainer: Ian R Wilkes
• Jockey: Julien Leparoux
• Owners: Mary Abeel Sullivan Revocable Trust
• Age: 4
• Sire: Noble Mission
• Record: 5 from 13
• Form: 4-1-1-6-2-3-1-3-1-1-5-2-6
• Morning Line Odds: 12-1 (+1200) with BetOnline
• Notable Wins: Canadian Turf Stakes
• Post Position: 10

And finally, Mira Mission steps into the unknown distance wise but there’s every chance she will stay the Sword Dancer Stakes trip. He shares a sire, Noble Mission, with Bahrain Trophy, Jockey Club Derby, Doncaster and Yorkshire Cup winner Spanish Mission.

In other words, Mira Mission is bred for a lot further than he’s been racing over. A fine second in the Grade I Bourbon Turf Classic on Kentucky Derby day at Churchill Downs, he finished ahead of Adhamo.

There’s a big difference in their Morning Line odds. Mira Mission is forecast to be three times the price of Adhamo, yet has six lengths in hand on that form.

The last of the Sword Dancer Stakes runners comes here under the radar. Mira Mission can only improve for his first try over 1 1/2 miles, so could crash the party and get amongst the big name horses.

Sword Dancer Stakes Picks & Verdict

A terrific edition can see Irish contender BROOME make a successful transatlantic raid on the race. Most re-opposing from the Breeders Cup Turf had no excuses and that key form looks the best on offer. ADHAMO was well on top when running on strongly to score in the United Nations Stakes last time out, so rates the main danger and pick of three from his barn.

With stamina doubts over Tribhuvan and everything needing to fall right for Rockemperor, the unexposed MIRA MISSION can shock a few and make the show. Last year’s winner Gufo has a lot more on his plate here, while beloved veteran Channel Maker has claims of minor money:

• Win: Bet BROOME @ 3-1 (+300) with BetOnline
• Place: Bet ADHAMO
• Show: Bet MIRA MISSION

Sword Dancer Stakes Facts and Figures

• Fastest Time: 2:23:20 – Awad (1997)
• Most Trainer Wins: 4 – William Mott (1987, 1992, 1996, 2020)
• Most Jockey Wins: 4 – Pat Day (1987, 1997, 2001, 2002)

Recent Sword Dancer Stakes Winners

• 2021 – GUFO (Joel Rosario, Christophe Clement)
• 2020 – CHANNEL MAKER (Manuel Franco, William Mott)
• 2019 – ANNALS OF TIME (Javier Castellano, Chad Brown)
• 2018 – GLORIOUS EMPIRE (Julien Leparoux, James L. Lawrence)
• 2017 – SADLER’S JOY (Julien Leparoux, Thomas Albertrani)
• 2016 – FLINTSHIRE (Javier Castellano, Chad Brown)
• 2015 – FLINTSHIRE (Vincent Cheminaud, Andre Fabre)
• 2014 – MAIN SEQUENCE (Rajiv Maragh, Graham Motion)

Watch Gufo Win The 2021 Sword Dancer Stakes Again

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