Latest news with #FarBridge
Yahoo
02-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Far Bridge Works Toward Sword Dancer Defense
Far Bridge Works Toward Sword Dancer Defense originally appeared on Paulick Report. LSU Stables' multiple Grade 1-winner Far Bridge breezed five furlongs in 1:02 1/5 seconds on Friday over the Oklahoma turf training track, according to NYRA Clockers, towards a title defense in next Saturday's G1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer, a 1 1/2-mile inner turf test for older horses, at Saratoga Race Sword Dancer awards a 'Win and You're In' berth to the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf in November at Del Mar – a race Far Bridge was ninth in last year at odds of 7-1. Trained by Miguel Clement, the much-the-best last-out winner of the local 11-furlong G2 Bowling Green on July 12 worked in company with dual graded stakes-winner Tawny Port, who is also nominated to the Sword Dancer.'That was a good work,' said Clement. 'That was a good solid work. We are looking forward to his race. He is training great. He loves it here. I know it will be a good field, there's two Godolphins [Nations Pride, El Cordobes] that came over, but nevertheless, we are still bullish on him.'We do believe he's the best turf horse in America in that division,' Clement continued. The 5-year-old English Channel bay has the wins to defend that statement, flexing his class at longer distances, including G1 scores traveling 12 furlongs last year in the Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer in August on firm Spa turf and the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic one month later on good Belmont at the Big A G1s, he is 8-3-0-3 with an additional score in the G1 Belmont Derby Invitational as a sophomore at Belmont Park. He has banked in excess of $2.3 million via an 18-9-3-3 overall record. 'He's so talented,' said Clement. 'He seems to excel in turf marathon events. He is versatile. He's won Grade 1s on the lead and can handle any ground. He won the Joe Hirsch in a bog from last. He can have tactical speed if need be. He is quick out of the gate if you want him to be. He has a great turn-of-foot. He is amazingly versatile.'Far Bridge's Sword Dancer triumph last year came for the late Christophe Clement, who won the event a record five times [Honor Glide, 1999; Winchester, 2011; Gufo, 2021-22; and Far Bridge, 2024]. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Aug 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Far Bridge To Stretch Back Out In Bowling Green
Far Bridge To Stretch Back Out In Bowling Green originally appeared on Paulick Report. LSU Stables' multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Far Bridge will look to add to his impressive credentials in Saturday's $200,000 Bowling Green (G2), an 11-furlong inner turf test for older horses, at Saratoga Race Course. Advertisement Trained by Miguel Clement, the 5-year-old English Channel bay will stretch back out in distance from a neck third in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan on June 8 during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga. There, he exited the outermost post 8 and was quickly taken to a ground-saving position by Hall of Fame jockey Joel Rosario. He tracked in third down the backstretch and was game when asked down the lane but could not reel in his pacesetting stablemate Deterministic, who scored by a head over a rallying Integration in a dramatic finish. The solid performance earned Far Bridge a 99 Beyer Speed Figure. 'Maybe the distance was a touch short at that level, but I think he ran a gallant race,' Clement said of the Manhattan effort. 'He ran a terrific figure and came out of it in great order. He ran probably too good of a race to lose, but that's racing for you.' Far Bridge [post 7, Joel Rosario, 124 pounds] has arguably shown his best at extended distances with Grade 1 scores traveling 12-furlongs last year in the Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer in August at the Spa and the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic one month later at Belmont at the Big A as part of a tremendous campaign that concluded with an off-the-board finish in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf in November at Del Mar. Advertisement Far Bridge made a successful return to the races in March with a neck score over returning rival Corruption in the 12-furlong Grade 3 Pan American and added the 11-furlong Grade 2 Man o' War to his ledger in May at Belmont at the Big A ahead of his Manhattan try. Far Bridge worked a half-mile in 49.15 seconds July 4 over the Oklahoma training turf in company with Tawny Port, who is also entered in the Bowling Green. 'Top class,' Clement said of the work by Far Bridge. 'He's a very good horse. He looks out for himself, he knows the drill and where every pole is, and he breezes himself. He's just poetry in motion.' Far Bridge, who captured the Grade 1 Belmont Derby as a sophomore at Belmont Park, is out of the winning Kitten's Joy mare Fitpitcher. His second dam is the winning A.P. Indy mare Teenage Temper, whose half-sister Pleasant Song produced Grade 2-winning millionaire Long Range Toddy. Advertisement Clement will also send out Peachtree Stable's Tawny Port [post 3, Flavien Prat, 120 pounds], who will look to secure his first win since capturing the 2023 Listed John's Call, a restricted event contested over 1 5/8-miles of firm Spa turf. The 6-year-old Pioneerof the Nile dark bay has banked in excess of $1.3 million via a 25-5-3-5 ledger topped by Grade 3 dirt scores in 2022 as a 3-year-old in the Lexington at Keeneland and the Ohio Derby at Thistledown while in the care of trainer Brad Cox. Tawny Port joined the barn of the late Christophe Clement in time for a fifth-place finish in the 2023 edition of the Grade 2 Bowling Green ahead of his aforementioned John's Call score. He has raced exclusively in graded company through his last 10 outings, including close third-place finishes last year at Monmouth Park in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Monmouth and 11-furlong Grade 2 United Nations. Clement said to draw a line through Tawny Port's most recent off-the-board outing in the off-the-turf Grade 3 Belmont Gold Cup contested over 1 3/4-miles of sloppy and sealed footing on June 6 here. Advertisement 'He's doing great. He had no chance last time. He's doing better than people think,' Clement said. Tawny Port, a half-brother to the graded stakes-placed Broadway Lady, is out of the multiple graded stakes-placed Macho Uno mare Livi Makenzie. His second dam, Greta's Joy, is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Surf Cat. Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse will be represented by D.J. Stable's graded stakes-winning millionaire Webslinger [post 5, Jose Ortiz, 120 pounds], who will look to go one better from a last-out three-quarter length second in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Eclipse on May 31 over the Woodbine Tapeta. 'He ran great his first start back at Woodbine,' Casse said. 'I've been very impressed with him. I think he's training better than I've ever seen him. The key with him is he'll sit back and make his run. I'm expecting a big year out of him.' Advertisement The 5-year-old Constitution gelding made the grade as a sophomore in the 2023 Grade 2 American Turf, besting Far Bridge by a nose in the 1 1/16-mile test over firm footing at Churchill Downs. While Webslinger exited that effort to capture the nine-furlong Listed Audubon at Churchill, Far Bridge avenged his narrow loss with a Belmont Derby score where Webslinger closed from last-of-11 to finish a 1 1/2-length fourth. The familiar foes squared off once more that year here in the 1 3/16-mile Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational with Webslinger missing by a head to Program Trading and Far Bridge settling for third. Webslinger hit the board in 4-of-6 starts last year led by a win in the 11-furlong Chorleywood over firm Churchill turf. He has banked in excess of $1.4 million through a 20-5-6-4 record. Casse will also send out Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Harry Colburn's Corruption [post 8, Javier Castellano, 120 pounds], who will look to build upon a fourth-place finish last out in the Grade 1 Manhattan. Advertisement The 4-year-old Medaglia d'Oro gelding has improved steadily through his eight-race career, winning a maiden-claiming turf mile at third asking on January 12 to kick off a three-race win streak at Gulfstream Park that included a one-mile allowance win on January 26 and a 12-furlong optional-claiming score on March 2. Corruption proved his class with a neck second to Far Bridge in the aforementioned Pan American, a race he exited to wire a nine-furlong optional-claimer in May at Churchill Downs ahead of his Manhattan try. 'He's definitely improved. He's our most improved child for the year,' said Casse, with a laugh. 'He likes to get in a rhythm and the farther you go, the easier it is to accomplish that.' The $220,000 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds-in-Training Sale purchase is out of the multiple graded stakes-placed Sky Mesa mare Thundering Sky. Advertisement Averill Racing's Harrow [post 6, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 122 pounds] fulfilled a lifelong dream for Barbados-born trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. when he captured the Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup in March at the Garrison Savannah. Harrow, with Rasheed Hughes up, won the nine-furlong event by one-length over Grade 3-winner Smokin' T with graded stakes-placed Jerry the Nipper in third as part of a strong field that included the multiple graded stakes-placed 2024 Barbados Gold Cup winner Portfolio Company. Joseph, Jr. said Harrow exited the Barbados Gold Cup in strong fashion, landing a prominent three-quarter length second last out in the Listed Cape Henlopen over 12-furlongs of firm footing on June 14 at Delaware Park. 'Obviously, I'm from Barbados, and I had never won it. For the ownership group, that was good,' Joseph, Jr. said. 'I thought he was going to need that run last out, but I was pleased with the effort. He ran better than I thought. This race is coming up tough, but I feel like he will run quite well for himself. He always tries." Advertisement The hard-knocking 7-year-old Lea gelding was haltered for $16,000 from a winning effort in April 2024 at Tampa Bay Downs and has won three times since to go along with a 1 3/4-length fifth in the 12-furlong Grade 3 W. L. McKnight in January at Gulfstream Park in his lone graded stakes start for Joseph, Jr. A solid field includes Grade 3-winner Starting Over [post 1, Manny Franco, 124 pounds], who enters from a three-quarter-length third in the Cape Henlopen for trainer Brittany Russell; as well as a pair from Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher in Shadwell Stable's Kentucky homebred El Rezeen [post 2, Dylan Davis, 120 pounds], who was a three-quarter length third behind the victorious Carson's Run and runner-up Deterministic in last year's 11-furlong Grade 3 Jockey Club Derby Invitational, and WinStar Farm and Rock Ridge Racing's three-time winner Tucson [post 4, Luis Saez, 120 pounds]. Yo Daddy, Kuchar and Game Warden are entered for the main-track only. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Miguel Clement Looking To Build On Father's Legacy With Trio Of Contenders In Manhattan
Miguel Clement Looking To Build On Father's Legacy With Trio Of Contenders In Manhattan originally appeared on Paulick Report. In an impressive showing for the barn of the late Christophe Clement, the trio of Far Bridge, Carson's Run and Deterministic have long been pointed to the Grade 1, $1 million Resorts World Casino Manhattan on June 7 at the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., after preparing for their campaigns in Florida this winter. The recent passing of their conditioner in late May was deeply felt across the racing community and the trio will now look to add to the trainer's much-respected legacy as they make their first start for Clement's son and longtime assistant, Miguel. Advertisement 'Dad loves the Manhattan, and this was the plan a long time ago,' Miguel Clement said of the trio's entry in a race that Christophe won three times with Forbidden Apple [2001], Gio Ponti [2009] and Winchester [2010]. 'Historically speaking, it's been a terrific race. It's probably one of the best races that we have because it's a race where you have the best stayers and the best milers all meeting in the middle. 'All three horses are doing very well and it's exciting,' Clement added. 'It's time to run.' The Manhattan [Race 12], a 1 3/16-mile Mellon turf test for older horses, is one of eight graded stakes slated for Saturday's loaded 14-race card headlined by the Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets in Race 13. First post is 10:45 a.m. Eastern. Leading the charge for Clement is LSU Stables' multiple Grade 1-winner Far Bridge, whose win in the 1 3/8-mile Grade 2 Man o' War on May 10 at Belmont at the Big A marked the final graded stakes victory for Christophe, and graded stakes win number 239 after a storied 34-year career. In the Man o' War, Far Bridge was piloted by Hall of Famer Joel Rosario to a stalking one-length victory under a hand-ride, taking command in the final turn and driving home in a final time of 2:17.24. Advertisement Far Bridge returns to the course that saw him upset the Grade 1 Sword Dancer in August, a pacesetting victory by one length over Measured Time. He switched up tactics next out with a stalk-and-pounce score over War Like Goddess in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic in September at Belmont at the Big A. 'If you want, he can be on the lead, and has tactical speed if you need it,' Clement said. 'He can also come from last and has a great turn-of-foot. That makes him very tough. He's not dependent on ground or pace. He can do whatever you'd like.' Far Bridge has won four of his last five starts – all with Rosario at the helm – including the Grade 3 Pan American to kick off his campaign in March at Gulfstream Park. Clement said the pairing of Rosario and Far Bridge is easy to summarize. Advertisement 'They're a dynamic duo. I think that's the best way to put it,' he concluded. Clement said Far Bridge, who also won the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational as a sophomore for trainer Todd Pletcher, would likely prefer a bit more ground than he'll cover on Saturday, but that his talent should allow him to put forth a strong effort. 'He's top class,' Clement said. 'He has an affinity for Saratoga, and in terms of distance, I'm sure he would appreciate more – but he's so versatile, and he's probably good enough that he can handle a range of distances. Top class horses, even if it's not their optimal distance, they still win.' Rosario will guide Far Bridge from the outermost post 9. Advertisement The pair of multiple graded stakes-winner Deterministic [post 5, Kendrick Carmouche] and dual Grade 1-winner Carson's Run [post 4, Dylan Davis] arrive from a 1-2 finish in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Fort Marcy on May 3 at Belmont at the Big A, a race that saw Deterministic set a new track record of 1:45.70 over the outer turf. 'He's doing well and he's versatile,' Clement said of Deterministic, who seeks his first Grade 1 score for owners St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, Steven Duncker and Vicarage Stable. The 4-year-old Liam's Map dark bay flashed his talents early in his career on dirt, graduating impressively in August 2023 here and returning last March to win the Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct Racetrack before a pair of off-the-board efforts in graded dirt routes at the Big A. A switch to turf brought back the spark he showed earlier in the year, and the colt has never been off-the-board in six starts over the lawn. His 6-3-2-1 turf record includes Grade 3 wins last year in the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs and the Hill Prince at the Big A, as well as a third in his lone try at the Grade 1 level in last year's Saratoga Derby Invitational won by Carson's Run. He began his current campaign with a pacesetting second in a nine-furlong off-the-turf allowance in April at Keeneland. Advertisement Deterministic already had a race on his 2025 resume heading into the Fort Marcy, and now the same can be said for West Point Thoroughbreds and Steven Bouchey's Carson's Run after his brave Fort Marcy effort behind his stablemate in his first start off a more than five-month layoff. 'He needed a race under his belt. I think he's improved from the run,' Clement said. 'There's plenty of him – plenty of substance – he will only benefit from a race under him. I thought he ran a terrific race.' Carson's Run already boasts a win over the course and distance in the aforementioned Saratoga Derby, his second top-level victory after taking the Summer Stakes as a juvenile at Woodbine. The 4-year-old Cupid colt's sophomore campaign also included a win in the Grade 3 Jockey Club Derby Invitational in October at Belmont at the Big A and a runner-up effort in the Grade 3 Nashville Derby in September at Kentucky Downs. While a powerhouse trio looms large for the Clement barn, there are no guarantees in a loaded field that includes dual Grade 1-winning New York-bred Spirit of St Louis [post 6, Manny Franco], who is also in the conversation of divisional sovereignty alongside Far Bridge. Advertisement Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb and Richard Schermerhorn's 6-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro has flourished this year against open company after two seasons running against almost exclusively state-bred company, often trouncing his competition with seven wins [four stakes] from 11 outings against fellow New York-breds. In October, Brown tried the evergreen dark bay against graded competition for the first time when a 2 1/2-length fifth in the Grade 1 Coolmore Turf Mile at Keeneland. Two starts later, Spirit of St Louis more than proved he belonged in the big leagues, notching a rallying neck score in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational in January at Gulfstream Park. A fourth in the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial Classic in March at Fair Grounds did little to dissuade the betting public on May 3 at Churchill Downs, where Spirit of St Louis was last seen scoring another Grade 1 triumph in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic as the 3-1 post-time favorite. 'He's remarkably consistent this horse,' the gelding's five-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner Chad Brown said. 'He's reached a level this year that I didn't even see coming. I'm just trying to keep him where he's at right now – happy and sound.' While Spirit of St Louis has successfully answered the question of class, he is now left to prove his ability beyond nine furlongs. The presence of Grade 1 Belmont Stakes-winner Lemon Drop Kid on the bottom side of his pedigree suggests he'll pass the test. Advertisement 'We'll try it – he's certainly bred for it,' Brown said of the distance. 'I would have thought last year that his best distance was a mile, and this year, he's proven to be effective beyond that, which is a pleasant surprise.' Bred by Chester and Mary Broman, Spirit of St Louis is a full-brother to Grade 1-winner Bar of Gold, who found her best stride sprinting over the dirt to victory in the 2017 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. A neck back of Spirit of St Louis in the Pegasus World Cup Turf was West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing's Integration [post 2, Flavien Prat], a last-out seventh in the Turf Classic at Churchill. Co-owner Sol Kumin congratulations jockey Manny Franco after Spirit of St Louis won the Turf Classic at Churchill DownsNellie Carlson photo Trained by three-time Manhattan-winning Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, the Quality Road 5-year-old has placed in four Grade 1s, and boasts graded victories in the 2023 Grade 2 Hill Prince and 2024 Grade 2 Red Smith – both over the Aqueduct green – and the 2023 Grade 3 Virginia Derby at Colonial. Though he has not contested Saturday's distance in his 13 starts, he did finish a game second in last year's Grade 1 Arlington Million going a touch farther at 10-furlongs. Advertisement The West Coast racing scene will be represented by Amerman Racing's classy Kentucky homebred Endlessly [post 1, Umberto Rispoli], who stretches out from a third in the one-mile Grade 3 American on April 20 at Santa Anita Park off a more than nine-month layoff. 'He's doing very well,' trainer Michael McCarthy said. 'It is nice to have him back. Obviously these big turf races will kind of be on his schedule all summer long.' The 4-year-old Oscar Performance bay began his career a perfect 3-for-3 in 2023, including Grade 3 scores in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf at its namesake oval and the Zuma Beach at Santa Anita Park. He went on to post a respectable sophomore campaign that was led by wins on synthetic in the Listed El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields and the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park en route to off-the-board finishes in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational on turf to close out the year. McCarthy pointed to Endlessly's route stakes wins as evidence to support that Endlessly will relish the added distance in the Manhattan. Advertisement 'I don't think it is an issue for him. I think he is wanting more ground,' McCarthy said. 'In his victories last year in the El Camino Real Derby and the Jeff Ruby at one mile and an eighth, he was very good. I don't think going one mile and three-sixteenths on the grass is going to be an issue for him.' Completing the field are graded stakes-winner Highway Robber [post 3, Cristian Torres] for trainer Brian Lynch, Grade 3-placed Corruption [post 8, Jose Ortiz] for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse; and the streaking Tucson [post 7, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], a $1.3 million yearling purchase that makes his stakes debut for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. Television coverage of Belmont Stakes Day will air across the FOX Sports family of networks beginning at 10:30 a.m. Eastern [FS1] prior to national broadcast coverage on FOX beginning at 2:30 p.m. For the complete Belmont Stakes Racing Festival television schedule, visit NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, and the best way to bet every race of the four-day meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
