Gofu sizzles in Kent Stakes

WILMINGTON, DE – Otter Bend Stables’ Gofu notched a record setting victory in Saturday’s $125,000 Kent Stakes (G3) at Delaware Park.

With Trevor McCarthy aboard, the 3-year-old son of Declaration of War won by a 1/2-length and established a new track record by covering the mile and 1/16 in 1:46.94 over a firm turf course. The previous record of 1:47.19 was set in 2016.

Gofu returned $3.20 as the favorite in the field of seven. Pixelate, with Angel Suarez, finished second. It was another 2 1/2 lengths farther back to Vanzzy, with Mychel Sanchez, in third. Sunsation, with Joe Bravo, cut early fractions of :47.49 for the 1/2-mile and 1:11.31 for 3/4 before finishing in fifth.

The Kent Stakes is the first graded stakes victory for Gofu, who has now won 4 in a row. Previously, the Kentucky-bred conditioned by Christophe Clement won the $75,000 English Channel Stakes at Gulfstream Park on May 2. He raised his career mark to 4 wins and a third from 5 starts with earnings of $177,000.

“They wanted me to have him a little bit closer to the pace today, but he just was not comfortable when we I put a little pressure on him to stay up early,” McCarthy said. “We went a little slow the first 1/4 (mile), but things quickened up. I felt like I was on the best horse, so I left him alone, kept him out of trouble, and gave him time to get himself together. I saved a little bit of ground in the first turn and then I got him out down the backside, and that is when he really started to gain his rhythm. If there was any horse who could have beaten me today, I thought it was Pixelate, and I just kind of tracked him the whole way. When we turned for home, I just went outside of Pixelate, and my horse did all of the work. He was really impressive breaking the track record and he really stormed home the last 1/8 of a mile.”