Christophe Clement | Horse Racing Free Tips

Momos Switches to Grass for Futurity

‘TDN Rising Star’ Momos (Distorted Humor) will switch to grass for Sunday’s GIII Futurity S. at Belmont Park, a ‘Win and You’re In’ for the GII Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland.

A runaway debut winner at Saratoga July 18, the $180,000 OBSMAR graduate pressed a hot pace and stayed on for third behind ultra-impressive unbeaten MGISW Jackie’s Warrior (Maclean’s Music) in the GII Saratoga Special S. last time Aug. 7.

“He’s been training well,” trainer Christophe Clement said. “I trained him on the grass and thought he worked well over it. I know he can handle the firm turf, not sure about softer turf. He’s a fast horse. I could always bring him back on the main track.”

Momos has been cross-entered as a Main Track Only for Monday’s Born to Run S. at Monmouth Park.

Only a nose separated the Wesley Ward-trained duo of Trade Deal (Fed Biz) and After Five (The Factor) on the line in a Kentucky Downs maiden special weight going 6 1/2 furlongs Sept. 10. The latter, favored at 3-1 on the Futurity morning line, rallied from seventh to complete the bottom half of the exacta on debut that day. Both earned a field-best 77 Beyer Speed Figure. Trade Deal, second in his previous start on debut at Indiana, is also entered in the Born to Run.

“First-time starters are at a big disadvantage starting there as opposed to if he had a start,” Ward said of After Five. “But he ran an incredible race and we’re looking forward to him moving on and getting better from here.”

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Sands of ‘Summer’

Sophomore fillies take center stage in the GII Sands Point S. at Belmont Saturday and among leading contenders in the eight-furlong event is Waterford Stable’s Speaktomeofsummer (Summer Front). Victorious in last fall’s Chelsey Flower S. at the Big A, she kicked off 2020 with a fourth-place finish in Belmont’s Wonder Again S. in June before realizing a head score in Saratoga’s GII Lake Placid S. July 19. Rank in the early going of the Saratoga Oaks Invitational S. at 9 1/2 furlongs Aug. 16, the Christophe Clement trainee finished fourth behind Antoinette (Hard Spun) and cuts back in this return. Joel Rosario, aboard for her three latest starts, gets the call in the Sands Point.

“The filly is doing great. She’s working well and looks well. I’m excited to see her run,” said Clement. “I think she’s very versatile from a mile to a mile and a quarter. I don’t see the distance as a negative, I think she’s perfectly OK with it.”

Klaravich Stables’ Selflessly (More Than Ready) attempts to add her third graded tally Saturday for trainer Chad Brown.

A winner in last season’s 8 1/2-furlong GII Miss Grillo S., she closed out the year with a fifth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Filling that same position in her 2020 return in the GIII Wonder Again S. in June, the Maryland-bred was given some time off before resuming with a nose score in Saratoga’s

GIII Lake George S. Aug. 28. Jose Ortiz, winning at 25% at the Belmont meet, accompanies the filly for the first time.

“Selflessly is doing really well coming off a nice win last time out,” said Brown.

Brown is also represented by Tamahere (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), making her U.S. debut following a listed score at La Teste De Buch in France in June. The French-bred will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr.

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Plum Ali A Perfect 3-For-3 After Popular Miss Grillo Victory

Plum Ali ran her record to 3-for-3 with a come-from-behind victory on Sunday in the Grade 2 Miss Grillo Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. Ridden by Jose Ortiz, the Christophe Clement-trained filly by First Samurai ran down front-running Caldee to win by 2 1/4 lengths.

Time for the 1 1/16 miles on firm turf was 1:42.03. Plum Ali paid $4.30 to win as the favorite of five runners contesting the Miss Grillo.

Caldee finished second, with Editor At Large getting up for third. She was followed by Mashnee Girl and Director's Cut. There were four scratches from the original field of entries.

Owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Bethlehem Stables, Plum Ali was bred in Kentucky by Stone Farm and sold for $65,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

“She's a very nice filly,” said Clement. “She's won in different scenarios, different tracks and different jockeys. That's what good horses do. They face the challenge and they win. It's very exciting. It's nice when they keep facing these things and win. [At the top of the stretch] the [top]-three finishers were together, so nobody has any excuses.

“Just like anything else, I'll only go to the Breeders' Cup [Juvenile Fillies Turf] if she's training great and doing great. I'm very happy. She's done everything right.”

Plum Ali made a winning debut at Saratoga on July 23, taking a maiden special weight race by two lengths, then traveled to Kentucky Downs to win the Mint Juvenile Fillies Stakes by 2 3/4 lengths.

“Christophe always said to me she was the nicest 2-year-old turf filly in the barn,” said Dubb. “We knew this winter when was she on the farm that she was above average, but we didn't know how good she was.

“She seems, with every race, to be maturing. She had more composure in the paddock today. She's just going forward the right way and we hope we can get one more race out of her this year.”

In the Miss Grillo, Plum Ali was near the back early while saving ground as Caldee led through fractions of :24.81, :48.06 and 1:11.58 for the first six furlongs. Ortiz asked Plum Ali for run going into the far turn and was bidding for the lead by the time the field hit the top of the stretch. She opened up by one length at the furlong pole and passed the mile marker in 1:35.60 with a clear lead and held sway to the finish. Caldee held off Editor At Large by a nose for second, with 15 1/2-length margin back to Mashnee Girl in fourth.

“She's very classy. I had the opportunity to work her twice and got to know her a little bit these past couple of week,” said Ortiz. “The first week, she worked well. The second week, she worked amazing. She gave me a lot of confidence going into the race. She had a great trip and I followed the right horse and when I was ready to make my move, I did.”

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First Samurai Filly Remains Unbeaten in Miss Grillo

Plum Ali remained undefeated and picked up her second straight stakes win with a convincing score in Sunday’s GII Miss Grillo S. on the Belmont turf.

Unveiled going two turns over the Saratoga lawn July 23, the $65,000 Keeneland September buy rallied to a two-length success. Shipped south to Kentucky Downs for the Mint Juvenile Fillies S. Sept. 7, the chestnut overcame a troubled start and uncorked a powerful late run to score going away by 2 3/4 lengths.

Hammered down late to even-money favoritism, Plum Ali traveled last of a tightly-packed quintet as second choice Caldee went clear through an easy :24.81 quarter. Steadily creeping forward at the hedge down the backstretch, she moved into third passing a :48.06 half and set upon the frontrunner from the two path five-sixteenths out. Poking her head in front soon after straightening for home, she started to get away from that rival entering the final furlong and hit the wire as a comfortable winner. Caldee dug in to win a tight photo for the place over Editor At Large.

“She’s a very nice filly. She’s won in different scenarios, different tracks and different jockeys,” said winning trainer Christophe Clement. “That’s what good horses do. They face the challenge and they win. It’s very exciting. It’s nice when they keep facing these things and win. Just like anything else, I’ll only go to the Breeders’ Cup [Juvenile Fillies Turf] if she’s training great and doing great. I’m very happy. She’s done everything right.”

“Christophe always said to me she was the nicest 2-year-old turf filly in the barn,” added winning co-owner Michael Dubb. “We knew this winter when was she on the farm that she was above average, but we didn’t know how good she was. She seems, with every race, to be maturing. She had more composure in the paddock today. She’s just going forward the right way and we hope we can get one more race out of her this year.”

Pedigree Notes:

Already one of 28 stakes winners for MGISW juvenile First Samurai, Plum Ali becomes his 17th graded stakes winner with the victory. She is the second foal to race out of a half to turf GSW Meribel (Peaks and Valleys). Skipping has a yearling Lemon Drop Kid filly and dropped a full-sister to the victress this term before visiting Mastery.

Sunday, Belmont Park
MISS GRILLO S.-GII, $145,500, Belmont, 10-4, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:42.03, fm.
1–PLUM ALI, 122, f, 2, by First Samurai
                1st Dam: Skipping, by Stroll
                2nd Dam: Count to Six, by Saratoga Six
                3rd Dam: Countess Aura, by Halo
   1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($65,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP).
O-Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables LLC & Bethlehem Stables
LLC; B-Stone Farm (KY); T-Christophe Clement; J-Jose L. Ortiz.
$82,500. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $413,500. Werk Nick
   Rating: A++. Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Caldee, 120, f, 2, More Than Ready–Holiday’s Jewel, by
Harlan’s Holiday. O/B-Shortleaf Stable (KY); T-Brad H. Cox.
$30,000.
3–Editor At Large (Ire), 120, f, 2, Lope de Vega (Ire)–What Say
You (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). (160,000gns Wlg ’18 TATFOA;
260,000gns Ylg ’19 TATOCT). O-Peter M. Brant; B-R J B
Bloodstock & Lynch Bages Ltd (IRE); T-Chad C. Brown. $18,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, NO, 15HF. Odds: 1.15, 1.80, 4.10.
Also Ran: Mashnee Girl, Director’s Cut. Scratched: Batyah, Fifth Risk, Freedomofthepress, Lovestruck. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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