Christophe Clement

Christophe Clement has revealed that his first runners at Royal Ascot did not perform as he had hoped but shared how G1 Coronation S. disappointment Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock) could bid to bounce back to form at Saratoga later this month. Pizza Bianca, whose owner-breeder is celebrity chef Bobby Flay, has returned to America after her eighth-place finish in the Coronation.  Clement admitted that he was "slightly disappointed" with that effort but is confident that there is more to come from his Breeders' Cup winner back on home soil. "Of...

In Global Views, Godolphin Flying Start trainees provide insight into practices experienced and observations taken on their worldwide travels. Trainee Shea Connolly investigates the advantages available for a young trainer starting out Stateside and reminisces on his time spent with the Clement barn. I have been extremely fortunate to join up with the Christophe Clement racing stable at Belmont Park for my USA externship on Godolphin Flying Start, and have thoroughly enjoyed the access permitted to our Flying Start group throughout the USA phase at training centres and racetracks. The...

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay is excited to swap his apron for a top hat and tails at Royal Ascot and described his bold bid for G1 Coronation S. glory with Breeders' Cup-winning homebred Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) as "an experience of a lifetime." The Coronation S. has been the main aim for Pizza Bianca ever since she stormed to victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar last November and Flay has said that next week's royal meeting is the pinnacle. "I feel like I...

Golden Glider (Ghostzapper), most recently second in the GIII Peter Pan S., tuned up for Saturday's GI Belmont S. with a four-furlong work in :49.90 (33/84) at Belmont Park Sunday. NYRA clockers caught the colt, with exercise rider Kylie Wellington up, through a quarter-mile in :26.20 and a gallop-out in 1:02.80. "I thought he worked really well. He settled early, which is what you want out of a Belmont horse, and flew home," trainer Mark Casse said. Casse won the 2019 Belmont with Sir Winston (Awesome Again), who also finished...

A tough-to-separate baker's dozen of 3-year-old turf fillies will face off in Saturday's seven-furlong GIII Soaring Softly S. at Belmont, with many promising runners looking poised to jump into the division's upper echelon. Three horses, each from powerhouse barns, figure to vie for favoritism, and Chad Brown's Haughty (Empire Maker) was given the slight nod on the morning line at 5-2. Disqualified out of an impressive, 3 1/4-length first-out score debuting over a mile on the local turf Sept. 17, the $310,000 OBS April buy had no problem breaking her...

Jockey Dylan Davis reached 1,000 career victories with a late-rallying finish aboard the Christophe Clement-trained Heels Together (Hard Spun) in Friday's fifth race at Belmont Park. "It feels great. Obviously, I couldn't have done this without the horses, my agent Mike Migliore, and my supporters--countless trainers and owners to get me here," Davis said. "It feels really special. I love doing this and I love the game. I wasn't really keeping track of the number I was at," Davis added, with a laugh. The son of accomplished jockey and current...

Godolphin's Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), named last year's Eclipse champion turf male off of a fast-finishing score in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, will make his first Stateside start since that effort as the likely favorite in a six-horse renewal of the 1 3/8-mile GI Man O' War S. Saturday at Belmont. Showing just a single Group 3 win in his first nine starts in Great Britain, the chestnut gelding had his breakout performance with a victory in the G2 Sky Bet Great Voltigeur S. last August at York...

Entries from nine countries appear on course for the eight Group 1 races at Royal Ascot, headlined by the world's three highest-rated sprinters: Nature Strip (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}) (Australia, 124), Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) (USA, 121) and Home Affairs (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) (Australia, 120). The Australian pair--who may face Golden Pal in the G1 King's Stand S. or contest the G1 Platinum Jubilee S.--are joined by fellow Australian invader Artorius (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) (Anthony & Sam Freedman), set to run on the final day of the meeting....

Officially kicking off its fourth season, the Empire Racing Club (ERC) will offer a reduced membership price of $400 through the official re-launch date of May 1. Membership dues for both new and returning members will be $475 beginning May 2, 2022. Membership is open to both licensed and unlicensed enthusiasts looking to enjoy the social and educational benefits of the Club. The ERC will once again be managed by famed race-caller Tom Durkin. Training the current roster of runners for the 2022 season are Hall of Famer Mark Casse;...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 3rd-AQU, $80K, Msw, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:58 p.m. ET  CORTON CHARLEMAGNE, a well-bred son of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah out of the winning Victory Gallop mare Swingit, debuts for Speedway Stables LLC and trainer Christophe Clement. Purchased for $1.25 million from the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling Showcase, he is a half-brother to five winners from six to race, including current Pleasant Acres stallion GSW & GISP Neolithic (Harlan's Holiday), who earned over $2.2 million, as well as $850k Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase GSW & GISP...

Though he was the clear class of the seven horses signed on for Saturday's GII Pan American S. at Gulfstream Park, Otter Bend Stables' Gufo (Declaration of War) had a November layoff and some off form at the tail end of last season to overcome. But in the end, there was very little to worry about, as the fans on hand for the Curlin Florida Derby were treated to perhaps the most polished performance in the already-productive career of the 5-year-old, who took the 12-furlong test with a fair bit...

The lone Grade I winner in a field of seven, Otter Bend Stables' Gufo (Declaration of War) looks to take his record over the Gulfstream turf course to a perfect four-from-four in Saturday's GII Pan American S. After being given too much to do when a near-miss second in the GI Man O'War S. and third in the GI Manhattan S. last spring, the athletic chestnut was equipped with blinkers and validated the decision with a one-length defeat of Tide of the Sea (English Channel) in the Grand Couturier S....