Christophe Clement | Horse Racing Free Tips

Change Of Control Rides Rail To Victory In Autumn Days At Aqueduct

Perry Harrison's Change of Control overtook pacesetter Athwaaq when straightened for home and repelled 6-5 favorite Too Sexy's deep-stretch bid to post a victory by three-quarters of a length in Sunday's $150,000 Autumn Days for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going six furlongs on the outer turf at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Change of Control, who already registered a pair of graded stakes wins in her 5-year-old campaign, including a last-out score in the Grade 3 Franklin County in October at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., made a successful debut at the Big A, tallying her fourth stakes win of 2021 for trainer Michelle Lovell.

The fifth running of the Autumn Days saw Athwaaq break on top from post 6, leading the eight-horse field through an opening quarter-mile in :23.26 and the half in :46.28 over firm going. Jockey Colby Hernandez tucked Change of Control in third position near the rail, with the pocket position enabling her to move up to second out of the turn.

Once straightened for home, Change of Control capitalized with the open seam from the inside, overtaking a tiring Athwaaq. Hernandez kept his charge to task as Too Sexy rallied to pass three rivals, gaining in the shadow of the wire before Change of Control completed the course in a 1:09.14 final time to improve to 4-2-3 in 10 starts this year.

Hernandez's rail-riding trip earned Change of Control, off at 7-2, a winner's circle trip, returning $9.90 on a $2 win bet. She improved her career earnings to $739,257.

“She gave us a good break and I was right there,” Hernandez said. “I tried to pop out and run second but they weren't letting me out. I saw the horse on the front looked like she was going to come out at the top of the stretch and we stayed there and it ended up working out perfect.

“Every single time she runs, it's like she gets better,” he added. “She's just a cool horse, does nothing wrong and anything you ask her, she does. She's a very cool horse to ride.”

Change of Control, bred in Kentucky by John O' Meara, is 2-for-2 at NYRA-operated tracks this year after winning the G3 Intercontinental in June at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

“Colby rode her perfect. He never panicked,” Lovell said. “He stayed right there on the inside and she just looked awesome. She did well in New York when we sent her up to Belmont in the summer, so I just thought this race was a really good spot. The owner gave us a lot of time finding the best races for her. She's really thriving and coming into her own.”

Lovell said Change of Control will now winter in Louisiana in preparing for her 6-year-old year in 2022 before embarking on the next phase of her career.

“She'll go to Fair Grounds for the winter. We'll try to map out her races really well over the winter, spring, and summertime, and then she'll go to the breeding shed,” Lovell said. “I'm not really sure what our plan is from here, but she'll come back to Churchill and come to Fair Grounds with the rest of my barn.”

Too Sexy, trained by Christophe Clement, topped the slow-starting Love And Thunder by one length for second. Jockey Jose Lezcano, who was aboard for Too Sexy's last-out win in the Floral Park in October at Belmont, said the outcome might have been different with a slightly more advantageous trip.

“She broke well and I had to wait a little bit until the eighth pole,” Lezcano said. “She gave a very good race and ran strong. She did everything right, the winner is just a very good horse. I think she also got a better trip than I got. I had to go between horses and she got through on the inside.”

Miss Majorette, Piedi Bianchi, Athwaaq, Raven's Cry, and Secure Connection completed the order of finish.

Live racing resumes Thursday at the Big A with a nine-race card. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Mutamakina Ends Her Career On A High Note With Long Island Win

Trainer Christophe Clement expressed pride and satisfaction in saddling Al Shira'aa Farms' Mutamakina to victory in the final start of her career when capturing Saturday's $400,000 Grade 3 Long Island at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

The 5-year-old daughter of Nathaniel defended her title in the Long Island, which she won last year when collaring stablemate Traipsing up the rail in the final strides. Mutamakina saw some added ground in this year's Long Island which was moved from 11 to 12 furlongs.

“I'm still enjoying the win,” Clement said. “I'm very grateful for the owner and hopefully we can be lucky again.”

Previously trained in France by Carlos Laffon-Parias, Mutamakina achieved modest success overseas, including a Group 2 placing behind subsequent Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass at Longchamp in Paris, France. She finished a distant eighth to eventual Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Audarya in her final start in France in August 2020.

Her career reached new heights when transferred to Clement in New York, finishing a troubled third in last year's Zagora at Belmont over yielding turf en route to her first Long Island score to close out her 4-year-old campaign.

Following three losses at Belmont at stakes level to launch her 2021 season, including a second in the G2 Sheepshead Bay and a third in the River Memories, Mutamakina went on a three-race tear, traveling to Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, to capture the G2 Dance Smartly and G1 E.P. Taylor ahead of this year's Long Island.

“She had a real career in the States. It was a great decision on their part to send her here because she improved her resume by coming here,” Clement said. “When things work out with staying fillies like her, these things happen. She's talented and an above-average horse and, like most horses, she got better as she got older.”

Dylan Davis, undefeated aboard Mutamakina, piloted the mare to all four of her triumphs in North America. She provided Davis with his first Grade 1 win by besting stablemate La Dragontea by a neck in the E.P. Taylor in October.

“I got aboard her because Kieran Lalor, the racing manager for Al Shira'aa Stud, really wanted me to ride her after I rode her in last year's Long Island,” Davis said. “She had different riders in between then, but once I got back up on her this summer, we hooked back up. She was my first Grade 1 winner, I went 4-for-4 on her. How much better can you get than that? I'm going to get a nice big picture of her and put it in my house.

“She's pretty straightforward,” Davis continued. “She was actually a little more on edge at Woodbine. She'd be more on it those first couple of jumps out of the gate. After that, she would settle down, but over here she was more relaxed.”

Mutamakina is slated to ship to Ireland for a broodmare career, where she will be bred to Dubawi.

Bred in Great Britain by Widgham Stud, Mutamakina is out of the Danehill broodmare Joshua's Princess. Her fourth dam is 1995 European Horse of the Year Ridgewood Pearl, who captured that year's G1 Breeders' Cup Mile at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Mutamakina closed out her career with a record of 17-6-3-3 with purse earnings of $854,066.

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Mutamakina, La Dragontea Meet Again In Long Island

Trainer Christophe Clement sends out a strong trio of contenders in defending winner Mutamakina, graded-stakes winner La Dragontea and graded-stakes placed Sorrel in Saturday's 64th running of Grade 3, $400,000 Long Island at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Clement, a three-time winner of the 12-furlong inner test for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, notched the exacta last year when Mutamakina slid up the rail and collared pacesetting stablemate Traipsing in the last strides to the wire.

En route to Saturday's engagement, Mutamakina captured a pair of graded stakes triumphs at Woodbine Racetrack in Canada going 10 furlongs.

Following a prominent score in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly on September 24 over firm ground, Mutamakina squared off against La Dragontea in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor on October 17 fending off a late confrontation from her stablemate to win by a neck.

Mutamakina has been training forwardly since her last victory according to Clement, logging a four-furlong move in 50.10 seconds Saturday over the Belmont turf.

“She's been training very well. I'm very happy with her,” Clement said. “She's a top-class mare. She's never trained so well than when she came back from Canada. Her last couple of works have been remarkable and I'm excited to run her back.”

Owned by Al Shira'aa Farms, Mutamakina is out of the Danehill mare Joshua's Princess whose second dam was 1995 European Horse of the Year and Breeders Cup Mile winner Ridgewood Pearl.

Dylan Davis is 3-for-3 aboard the 5-year-old Nathaniel bay mare, who will break from post 7.

Since finishing second to Mutamakina in the E.P. Taylor, La Dragontea was sold to Rosemont Stud at the Keeneland November Sale for $1,375,000 but has remained in Clement's barn. She is slated to shuttle to Australia next year.

“I'm delighted that she's back in the barn. She'll go to Australia for next year we'll try to do the best we can with her,” Clement said.

La Dragontea made up considerable ground in the E.P. Taylor, where she was last at the top of the stretch before weaving her way through traffic and coming up just shy of victory. Prior to her last start, the 4-year-old Lope de Vega dark bay filly shipped to Woodbine and displayed stalking tactics when capturing her first stakes win in the Grade 2 Canadian on September 18 over good going.

A two-time winner on the NYRA circuit this season, La Dragontea made her North American debut a winning one in a 1 ¼-mile Belmont allowance on May 7, leading through every point of call under little urging in the stretch drive. She was a troubled sixth in her next effort cutting back to 1 1/16 miles five weeks later at Belmont.

“She was very impressive in her debut in America winning her allowance at Belmont,” Clement said. “We were very unlucky the time after that getting boxed in. She's a very good filly and she never stops improving.”

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano will ride from post 4.

Rounding out Clement's contingent is Sorrel, who makes her first start since a troubled third to subsequent Grade 1 winner War Like Goddess in the Grade 3 Orchid on March 27 at Gulfstream Park.

Owned by George Strawbridge, Jr.'s Augustin Stable and James Wigan, the 4-year-old Dansili dark bay secured three straight victories for English conditioner Sir Michael Stoute overseas prior to transferring to Clement.

“She ran very well that day, she could have won with a better trip,” Clement said of her Orchid effort. “We gave her plenty of time and she's come back well.”

Breaking from post 8, Sorrel will be ridden by Manny Franco.

Trainer Chad Brown will send out Orglandes, who recaptured her winning form last out when taking the Zagora on November 7 at Belmont. The 5-year-old daughter of Le Havre ended 2020 on a winning note when making up a dozen lengths to win the Grade 3 Red Carpet last November at Del Mar.

Brown eyes his third Long Island score, having previously saddled Goldy Espony [2015] and Lady Paname [2018].

Eric Cancel will ride Orglandes from post 2.

Four-time Long Island winning trainer Graham Motion sends out Flaxman Holdings' Harajuku, who will seek redemption following a seventh-place finish in the Grade 2 Sands Point at nine furlongs on October 16. The effort was the first under Motion's tutelage for the daughter of Deep Impact, who previously raced in France for trainer Andre Fabre. She made her North American debut when third in the 11-furlong Jockey Club Oaks Invitational in September at Belmont.

“She just got run off her feet a bit,” Motion said of her last effort. “I had questioned shortening her up a bit and obviously the result wasn't what we were looking for. This distance is more of what she wants to do.”

Harajuku will leave from post 3 under Junior Alvarado.

Completing the competitive field is Summer In Saratoga [post 1, Luis Saez] – a last out winner of the Grade 3 Dowager at Keeneland, stakes-placed Candy Flower [post 5, Kendrick Carmouche], and multiple graded-stakes paced Luck Money [post 6, Trevor McCarthy].

The Long Island is slated as Race 9 on Saturday's 10-race program, which also features the $150,000 Discovery, the $150,000 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship, and the $100,000 Central Park. First post is 11:50 a.m. Eastern.

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Speaktomeofsummer Looks To Return To Stakes-Winning Form In Forever Together

Fresh off a nearly four-month layoff, Waterford Stable's Speaktomeofsummer will look to return to her stakes-winning ways as part of a six-horse field of fillies and mares 3-years-old and up competing in Friday's $150,000 Forever Together contested at 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf course at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

The Christophe Clement-trained Speaktomeofsummer will be competing for the first time since running sixth against optional claimers on July 28 over firm turf at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The 4-year-old Summer Front filly won a stakes at both 2 and 3, capturing the 2019 Chelsey Flower at the Big A before winning the Grade 2 Lake Placid in July at the Spa.

After running off the board in each of her three starts in the current campaign, Speaktomeofsummer will have another chance to become a stakes winner at 4, with her conditioner saying she has been training forwardly at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., including a four-furlong breeze in :50.22 over the Belmont dirt training track on November 16.

“She's been doing very well since we got her back and she's been training forwardly,” Clement said.

Jockey Manny Franco will pick up the mount for the first time, drawing the inside post.

Steve Feiger's Flower Point handled the step up in class with a third-place effort in the Grade 3 Noble Damsel last out on October 23 over firm Belmont turf. The 5-year-old Point of Entry mare netted a career-high 90 Beyer Speed Figure in her 15th career start, and will look to pick up her first stakes win for Hall of Fame conditioner Shug McGaughey.

Jose Lezcano, aboard for her previous effort in the one-mile Noble Damsel, will have the return assignment as Flower Point looks to stretch out, drawing post 4.

New York-bred Giacosa has finished on the board in four of her five starts of her 4-year-old campaign, including a three-quarter length victory in the Yaddo, contested against fellow state-breds at the Forever Together distance in August at the Spa, for owner and trainer H. James Bond.

The daughter of Tizway ran sixth last out in the Ticonderoga against fellow New York-breds on November 5 at Belmont but will look to get back on track on Friday, drawing post 3 with Luis Saez in the irons.

Rounding out the field is Platinum Paynter, third in the Grade 3 Dr. James Penny Memorial in July at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Penn., for trainer Juan Vazquez [post 6, Dylan Davis]; the Brittany Russell-trained Sailingintothewind, off back-to-back fourth place efforts, will make her first Aqueduct appearance [post 5, Kendrick Carmouche]; and Mucha Mezquina, trained by Mark Salvaggio, who will be looking for her first stakes win in her 32nd career start [post 2, Julio Hernandez].

The Forever Together is slated as Race 4 on the 10-race card with a post time of 1:18 p.m. Eastern. First post is 11:50 a.m.

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