'Jumping' Into the Deep End

Jump Sucker Stable, comprised of C. Steven Duncker, a member of the Board of Directors for the New York Racing Association, and his friends Kevin Warsh, George Walker and George Loenis, are in for a jam-packed weekend. Two of their three horses conditioned by Christophe Clement–Sea Coast (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) and Blacktype (Fr) (Dunkerque {Fr})–will be in action on the $1-million GI Betfair.com Haskell Invitational S. undercard at Monmouth Park July 31. Governor Malibu (Malibu Moon), trained by the Frenchman and co-owned with breeder Richard Leahy of Oak Bluff Stables,, will appear in the July 30 GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga versus his GI Belmont S. conqueror Creator (Tapit). The New York-bred sophomore annexed this year's Gander S. and finished runner-up in the GII Peter Pan S.

Sea Coast makes just her second start in the graded ranks in the 1 1/8-mile GIII WinStar Matchmaker S., while barnmate Blacktype aims to stretch his winning streak to two in the 1 1/16-mile GIII Oceanport S.

“It is a fun weekend because I've got only four horses for Jump Sucker Stable and three of them are running this weekend,” Clement remarked.
Twice a winner during her Irish tenure for trainer Michael Halford and owner Mrs. A. Kavanagh, Sea Coast, a €15,000 GOFFEB yearling (catalog page), signed off with a second in Dundalk's all-weather Irish Stallion Farms EBF Cooley S. on Halloween in 2014. Clement gave the bay plenty of time after her private purchase, as she did not grace the entry box until some seven months later at Belmont Park.

“Some of them adapt right away and some of them need time,” Clement noted. “There is no secret recipe. Every horse is different and that is the way it is. Especially with Sea Coast, it took her awhile.”

Five starts into her U.S. career, the 5-year-old mare has only failed to hit the board once. A 1 1/2-length win over the Monmouth lawn May 28 gave Clement the sign he needed to gamble and enter her in the local GIII Eatontown S., where she found only Isabella Sings (Eskendereya) too good June 25. Clement knows the task facing Sea Coast on Sunday won't be easy, especially negotiating 1 1/8 miles for the first time, but he is hopeful, as she breezed five-panels in 1:02 1/5 (5/15) at Big Sandy in preparation July 23.

“Sea Coast is doing great,” Clement continued. “She came out of her last race in good shape and has been training forwardly. We have a question mark on the distance. I think if the going is firm, it is a fun place to try her.”

Blacktype has been a fairly consistent money earner since being snapped up privately by these connections from Gerard Lancry and trainer J.P. Gauvin. The €7,500 ARQNOV yearling (catalog page) managed to win at the allowance level in his native land and has been fifth twice at the Grade III level since arriving in America–in the Hill Prince S. in October 2014 when he first came to these shores and in this year's Fort Marcy S. three back over yielding sod at Belmont Park May 7. Blacktype gained his third U.S. win–all of them have been on the New York-circuit–in an optional claimer going a grassy mile in Elmont July 3.

The dark bay took a half-mile spin in :50 flat (15/19) at Belmont July 20 and has done his best running in the U.S. over good-to-firm ground. He has the additional advantage of being piloted by 'Jersey' Joe Bravo Sunday.

Added Clement, “Blacktype was a little bit erratic when he first came. We gelded him, we put on blinkers and now he has been better about things. He is training well. It is a little bit ambitious [of a spot Sunday]. I think it is a good time of year to do a step up and I'm delighted that Joe Bravo is riding.”
Clement also provided a positive bulletin on GI Belmont S. fourth-place finisher Governor Malibu, who motored five panels over the Oklahoma training track upstate in 1:01.55 (4/12) Sunday.

“Governor Malibu had a bit of a break and is back in full work,” said the veteran, of the colt, who sold for $175,000 as a KEESEP yearling and that he selected for $135,000 (hip 129) from the 2015 Fasig-Tipton March juvenile sale after breezing a furlong in 10.3. “And yet again, it is a bit ambitious, but he is training well.”

With any luck, Clement and Jump Sucker Stable's risk-taking will pay off.

“So we don't have a very large stable, but we are really lucky and the stable is doing well, so hopefully something good will happen,” concluded Clement. “We'll try our best.”