Francesca Le Donne Photo

Clement sends out stakes-winning pair for $100K River Memories

by Ryan Martin

A deep field of a dozen fillies and mares plus one also eligible entrant has been assembled for the $100,000 River Memories over the Widener turf course, slated for Friday afternoon at Belmont Park.

Trainer Christophe Clement will saddle a pair of contenders for the 12-furlong test, including Sky Full of Stars, who was a Group 2 winner two starts back in her native Germany for former trainer Henk Grewe. Gestut Karlshof's gray or roan daughter of Kendargent will make her debut for the Clement barn and has not run since making her North American debut last October in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine.

Sky Full of Stars, a winner of four of 15 career starts, has notched all of her victories at distances of a mile and a quarter or more.

Jose Ortiz will pilot Sky Full of Stars, who breaks from post 12.

The Clement-trained Homeland Security, last year's winner of the River Memories, has won twice going the 12-furlong distance. The winner of four of six starts over the Belmont turf course was purchased by current owners Moyglare Stud from the Keeneland November Sale last year for $460,000 after winning the 1 ½-mile Zagora at Belmont Park. Last out, she was third behind Ickymasho in the Searching at Pimlico.

Emerging from post 5, Homeland Security will be guided by Joel Rosario.

"They are both continuing to train well coming into this race. It's looking to be a very competitive edition, but we'll give it our best," Clement said. "Homeland Security ran the distance her last time out at Pimlico and will look to improve off that effort. Sky Full of Stars will be making her first start since running in the E.P. Taylor and has really shown good energy in her breezes so it's exciting."

John O'Connor's ultra consistent Semper Sententiae has not won since breaking her maiden over the inner turf at Belmont last September, but enters the River Memories off of four straight on-the-board efforts in graded stakes. Trained by Mark Hennig, Semper Sententiae was third in the Grade 2 New York last time out. Her only start going a mile and a half was in her 2019 debut in the Grade 3 La Prevoyante on January 26 at Gulfstream Park, where she was third beaten 2 ½ lengths over a turf course rated "yielding".

Hall of Famer John Velazquez was aboard for three of her last five starts and will pilot the gray or roan daughter of The Factor from post 4.

Two horses in the River Memories will bear the iconic turquoise and pink colors of Juddmonte Farms. Breaking from post 10, Scottish Jig won her United States debut for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott when going wire-to-wire in an allowance race over the inner turf. The 4-year-old daughter of Speightstown was a two-time stakes winner in Great Britain for former trainer John Gosden and will be making her first start going 12 furlongs. Scottish Jig is a full-sister to Grade 1 winner Seek Again, both are out of Light Jig, who also is a Grade 1 winner.

Scottish Jig will be ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr.

Juddmonte Farms will also have Gaining, who has finished second in both of her starts in North America, both of which were going a mile and a half. The Brad Cox-trained daughter of American Post was beaten a length in the Grade 3 Bewitch on April 26 at Keeneland before finishing three-quarters of a length back of Gentle Ruler in the Keertana a month later at Churchill Downs.

Jose Lezcano has the mount on Gaining, who will leave the gate from post 8.

Completing the field for the River Memories are Ferdinanda [post 1, Luis Saez], Fools Gold [post 2, Javier Castellano], Lemon Zip [post 3, Dylan Davis], Theodora B. [post 6, Alex Cintron], Matty's Magnum [post 7, Junior Alvarado], Pamina [post 9, Victor Carrasco], and Violet Blue [post 11, Manny Franco]. Another Broad is entered as an also eligible.

The River Memories is slated as Race 7 on Friday's nine-race card. First post is 1:30 p.m.