G1 Sword Dancer to be renamed Christophe Clement Turf in 2026

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced the renaming of the Grade 1, $750,000 Sword Dancer to honor the life and legacy of Christophe Clement, the late trainer who won the prestigious turf route at Saratoga Race Course a record five times in his distinguished career. Beginning in 2026, the race will be known as the Christophe Clement Turf.

Clement, who secured his record fifth Sword Dancer victory with Far Bridge in last year’s running, died in May at age 59 following a battle with metastatic uveal melanoma, a rare cancer of the eye. The veteran conditioner was a respected member of the New York racing community for more than three decades. Notably, he trained 2014 Grade 1 Belmont Stakes-winner Tonalist and multiple Grade 1-winning dual Champion turf star Gio Ponti.

Following Clement’s death, his son and longtime assistant, Miguel Clement, took over training duties and will send out LSU Stables’ Far Bridge today in Race 10 in his Sword Dancer title defense after a pacesetting one-length win last year in what was the penultimate Grade 1 win of Christophe’s career.

Clement is survived by his wife, Valerie – who handles the stable’s business affairs and operates her own design company – and their two children, Charlotte and Miguel. Charlotte is married to Shaun Collins, and together they have one son, Hugo Christophe Clement Collins. Miguel is married to NYRA TV analyst Acacia Clement, and won his first race as the stable’s head trainer with Coach Case on June 4 at the Spa. 

“On behalf of our entire Clement family, we would like to thank NYRA for this honor. It’s a race that meant a lot to Christophe and we know his spirit lives on through all of us,” said Valerie Clement. “His love for the horses, his friendship with fellow trainers and owners, and his dedication for mentoring others are just a few things we miss daily in the sport without Christophe. We look forward to cheering on some of the most talented horses annually and participating in this race. And, as Christophe reminded us regularly, we must live life to the fullest every single day.”

The Sword Dancer is a race Clement dominated since starting his first contender in 1993. In total, nine of Clement’s 13 Sword Dancer starters won or hit the board, led by Gufo, who captured back-to-back editions in 2021 and 2022. The latter running also saw Clement saddle Soldier Rising to finish third.

Clement’s other Sword Dancer victories came with Honor Glide [1999], Winchester [2011] and the aforementioned Far Bridge. Additionally, he earned placings in this event with Flag Down [3rd, 1996] and Relaxed Gesture [2nd, 2005], and again with Soldier Rising when second in 2023.

A native of Paris, France, Clement posted a lifetime record of 2,576 wins from 13,270 starts with $184,121,369 in total purse earnings.

Clement conditioned more than 20 millionaires, earning 41 Grade 1 wins and adding a Breeders’ Cup triumph to his resume when Pizza Bianca captured the 2021 Grade 1 Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar. He posted a remarkable 33-year run of winning at least one graded event each year dating to Passagere du Soir’s victory in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Budweiser Breeders’ Cup Handicap in 1992.

For more information, please visit www.nyra.com.