Christophe Clement
Patricia Generazio's homebred 9-year-old gelding Pure Sensation (Zensational--Purse Disco, by Disco Rico) was retired following a seventh-place finish in Saturday's GIII Troy S. at Saratoga. Out of the Disco Rico mare Pure Disco, the popular grey retires with a record of 38-14-5-7 and purse earnings of $2,004,050. "He's been amazingly consistent over the years. He was a very fast horse from the beginning and he will be a tough guy to replace," said trainer Christophe Clement. "He was a very straightforward horse and very kind. He traveled all over the...
With the outposted Roderick (Into Mischief) scratching in favor of a start in Saturday's GII Best Pal S. at Del Mar, a field of 10 is set to face the starter for Friday's GII Saratoga Special S.,headed by a trio of promising 'TDN Rising Stars.' Trainer Steve Asmussen, already a four-time winner of the Special, sends out Stonestreet homebred Cazadero (Street Sense), who looks to take his record to a perfect three-for-three. The May foal, a son of MSW & GISP Wild Gams (Forest Wildcat), set a pressured early pace...
For red hot trainer Christophe Clement, there's much to look forward to as his blossoming turf star Decorated Invader (Declaration of War) progresses through his sophomore season. But for owner Cheri Manning, the talented colt has already given her the ride of a lifetime. In partnership with West Point Thoroughbreds, William Freeman and William Sandbrook, Manning has watched her horse cross the wire first in a juvenile maiden race at Saratoga, then the GI Summer S., the Cuter Bay S., the GII Pennine Ridge S. and most recently, the...
Jon S. Kelly, a successful California businessman who maintained Thoroughbred racing operations all over the world, passed away Saturday morning at his home in Tres Palomas in Rancho Santa Fe. He celebrated his 84th birthday July 24 and passed away following a lengthy battle with cancer. Kelly had been in hospice care and several family members, including his wife, Sarah, were at his side at the time of his death. Born in Berkeley and schooled in the east and at the University of California--Berkeley, Kelly entered the broadcasting business, founding...
In Greek mythology, Momos is "the personification of satire and mockery." In horse racing, Momos is a very talented and very fast son of Distorted Humor and Inspeight of Us (Speightstown) who delivered the first 'wow' performance in the first 2-year-old maiden of the Saratoga meet July 18 (video), earning 'TDN Rising Star' status. "I think everybody that buys a horse that wants to win that first maiden special at Saratoga realizes that you're going to be running against some of the best horses that have been specifically targeted for...
There was no hotter trainer on the grounds through opening weekend at Saratoga than Christophe Clement, which is saying something considering the array of champion and Hall of Fame conditioners that occupy the backstretch of America's premier race meet. After winning five races from 13 starters in the first four days of the stand, including a pair of graded stakes victories, Clement joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland to discuss his hot start. Calling in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week, the French-born trainer...
Trainer Christophe Clement joined this week's TDN Writers' Room Podcast to discuss his turf star and recent GII winner Decorated Invader, as well as some of his promising 2-year-olds and his take on New York's drug regulations.
The uber-talented Decorated Invader returned to the scene of his graduation last summer to earn his third graded victory from as many tries this season. He was reined in to sit second as Get Smokin zipped to the front and opened up a double-digit advantage. The favorite began to creep closer after six panels in 1:13.52, and looked to have the frontrunner in his sights as they straightened for home. Get Smokin wasn't done yet, and offered up some resistance to midstretch, but Decorated Invader found more in reserves and...
Momos (c, 2, Distorted Humor-Inspeight of Us, by Speightstown) kicked off Saturday's card at the Spa with a 'TDN Rising Star' performance. The :21 breezer at OBS March brought $180,000 from Ironhorse Racing Stable LLC and Secure Investments and was off at odds of 6-1 in this unveiling for Christophe Clement. He sped through an opening quarter in :22.20 from his inside draw, was under cruise control as they hit the quarter pole and took off in the stretch to run his five rivals off their feet. It was 6...
Four-for-six Decorated Invader (Declaration of War) appears awful tough to beat in Saturday's GII National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S. at Saratoga. Second to subsequent MGSW Field Pass (Lemon Drop Kid) on local debut here a year ago, he broke through convincingly next out before notching a big win in Woodbine's GI Summer S. in September. He could only manage fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf after a tough trip that had many arguing that he might've been best, and he's lent support to that claim...
Decorated Invader (Declaration of War) was hammered down into heavy favoritism for the GII Pennine Ridge S. and ran to the money, charging through late for a dominant score. Handier than usual from third as Proven Strategies (Sky Mesa) set opening splits of :23.86 and :47.50, the bay saved ground all the way under a patient Joel Rosario. Spotting an opening on the fence approaching the bend, Rosario sent Decorated Invader through and the colt responded with a brave punch, pushing past the pacesetter and rolling clear to score. "I've...
Grade I winner Decorate Invader (Declaration of War) looks to secure his second straight win of the season Satuday in Belmont's GII Pennine Ridge S. Following his second-out graduation at Saratoga in August with a win in Woodbine's GI Summer S. in September, the bay checked in fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita Nov. 1. He kicked off 2020 on a winning note, rallying from last to first in Gulfstream's one-mile Cutler Bay S. "Decorated Invader is doing great. He's had two very nice breezes...