Soldier Rising debuts for Clement in G1 Saratoga Derby Invitational

by NYRA Press Office

Clement finished the Belmont spring meet ranked third in both wins [27] and earnings [$2,285,008] in the trainer’s standings behind Chad Brown and Todd Pletcher. He entered Friday’s card stands in sixth place with eight wins and $638,339 in purses for the Saratoga meet.

“I am delighted,” Clement said. “The stable has been doing very well since we came back to New York [from wintering in South Florida] and I’ve got a nice group of useful horses, and some better ones. They’ve been running very well. We had a good Belmont meet and so far we’re doing okay in Saratoga.”

The British-bred Soldier Rising, purchased privately in late May by Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Morris Bailey, Wonder Stables and Michael Caruso after running his first four races for trainer Andre Fabre in France, will make his North American debut.

The well-bred son of Frankel and grandson of Galileo departs from Post 1 in the 11-horse field under Irad Ortiz, Jr. for the 1 3/16 mile turf test and he has proven he is a bona fide stayer.

“Soldier Rising is an exciting horse,” said Clement, who trained three-time Eclipse Award winner Gio Ponti. “He’s training rather well. He’s more of a mile-and-a-half turf horse than a mile-and-a-quarter horse, but I guess we’ll find out tomorrow.”

Soldier Rising has breezed four furlongs twice, on July 24 and July 31, over the Oklahoma training turf with Ortiz, Jr. aboard.

“Irad worked him twice and he knows the horse. He gets along with him,” said Clement. “As I said, he might be better suited to the mile-and-a-half, but I think he’s training well enough to have a shot.”

Call Me Love, a British-bred daughter of multiple champion European turf runner Sea The Stars, is stepping up in class in the Grade 2 Glens Falls as she seeks her third straight victory following scores in an optional claiming race and the 1 ½ miles River Memories at Belmont on July 11.

“I’m running her back a little quick. I wish I had an extra week just because we’re in the middle of the summer and she won a stakes in early July at Belmont but she looks well and is training rather forwardly, so that’s good,” Clement said. “She’s really come into her own as a 5-year-old. I might have been running her too short before, but that’s the way it is.”

Junior Alvarado has the mount in the 1 ½-mile race on the Saratoga inner turf course.

Clement, who won the 2014 Belmont Stakes with Tonalist, is still savoring the success of Sport Model, who ran her win streak to three after capturing the NYSSS Statue of Liberty August 4 at the Spa.

“She is an improving three-year-old filly. She won the last two New York-bred sire stakes,” Clement said. “There won’t be any more of them, unfortunately. But she’s a black type winner now, which is great. There’s no other race for her now. I’m not sure where we’ll bring her back, but we don’t have to decide that now. It’s nice. Let’s enjoy that a little bit. It doesn’t happen every day.”

As for his weekend line-up of stakes races and more to come for the remainder of the meet he said, “That’s Saratoga. They’re not easy. It’s great to run but let’s try to win. We do the best we can."

Hard work paying off for Diodoro, Lone Rock

Trainer Robertino Diodoro said Lone Rock, the four-length winner of Thursday’s featured $120,000 Birdstone at 1 ¾ miles, is the kind of horse that makes it a pure pleasure to get up early in the morning and head to work.

“I was still smiling first thing this morning just knowing he’s in my barn. That’s for sure. This is what we live for, right?” asked Diodoro, who trains the 6-year-old gelding for Jason Provenzano’s Flying P Stable. “A win is a win, but when you get one in these kinds of races it’s just extra special. It gives you a little extra jump in the mornings. It’s not easy getting horses in the barn that can win stakes races at Saratoga.”

The 6-year-old gelded son of Majestic Warrior is indeed a warrior. The Grade 2 winner has now racked up four straight victories, three consecutive stakes scores, and wins in seven of his last eight races dating to October 21, 2020. He is a long-distance specialist and all four of his races before the Birdstone, including the Grade 2 Brooklyn Handicap presented by Northwell Health at Belmont Park, were contested at 1 ½ miles.

“He knows he’s King Kong right now,” said his trainer. “He’s full of himself. They know when they win.”

Diodoro reported that Lone Rock came out of the race in terrific shape and acts like ready to go out and do it all over again.

“Even last night he was full of himself. We brought him back here and let him roll in the sand and he was squealing,” he said. “It’s crazy, that’s the way he was after the Brooklyn, too. At the Brooklyn it got really warm at Belmont that day and when you run a mile-and-a-half you’re scared that you could knock them out running that far in that heat.

“It was the same yesterday. When he came back to the barn the groom did him up and he was still a little bit warm so he brought him out,” he continued. “Then he started rolling there and he got up and he was striking and happy. This is a horse with talent and lots of confidence and he’s got a big heart.”

The stable initially haltered Lone Rock out of a $40,000 claiming race in July 2020 at Saratoga but then lost him through the claim box for the same price at Keeneland in October. In Lone Rock’s next race at Churchill Downs on November 20, Flying P Stable took him back for $40,000 and he hasn’t run for a tag since in six successive outings.

Lone Rock has racked up a record of 5-1-0 in six 2021 starts and earned $512,844 while boosting his career totals to 12-3-2 in 34 efforts and $814,921.

“This is great for the owner, too,” Diodoro said of Provenzano, who is the CEO and president of Makers Nutrition. “He just loves racing, and he loves New York. He really gets into it and takes it to heart. He gets very emotional and was so excited after the race. He was still so excited this morning. He came by the barn and bought breakfast for all the help.”

Lone Rock is also close to the heart of Ramon Vasquez. The horse’s regular rider made the most of the first Saratoga mount of his career. 

“This is a dream come true. It’s been a dream for a long time to ride at Saratoga. I’m so happy,” said Vasquez, who has been in the irons for Lone Rock’s last three races. 

State of Rest seeks to arise from slumber; Cadillac brings horsepower to G1 Saratoga Derby Invitational

Teme Valley’s State of Rest will make his North American debut in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Saratoga Derby Invitational while seeking his first triumph at stakes level for Irish conditioner Joseph O’Brien.

The bay sophomore son of Starspangledbanner has not won since a June 2020 maiden score at Fairyhouse going six furlongs over good going. Since the half-length triumph, State of Rest made good showings at stakes level overseas when finishing a close fifth in the Group 3 Tyros on August 6 at Leopardstown. Rating at the rear to the outside of runners, State of Rest remained wide down the straightaway and made up considerable ground to finish 1 ½ lengths behind eventual winner Military Style.

Two starts later in the Group 2 Champagne on September 12 at Doncaster, State of Rest was more forwardly placed and engaged in a battle in between horses in the final eighth of a mile but came up one length shy of victory.

Following a fifth in the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy on October 24 at Doncaster, State of Rest returned from an eight-month respite to finish third beaten a half-length when facing elders in the Dubai Duty Free Celebration on June 26 at The Curragh.

“It was a good run off the layoff, we think he’s improved,” said O’Brien, who will saddle his first runner at the Spa. “It was a big run off the layoff, and he ran so well so hopefully he can run well again.”

State of Rest went out for a routine gallop on Friday morning over the main track just past 7 a.m.

“He just went out for a nice little canter over the track,” said O’Brien, a former jockey and son of Irish champion trainer Aidan O’Brien. “Hopefully, he takes to it well. He’s in good shape and we're looking forward to running him.”

In seven starts, State of Rest has contested over turf courses rated good, heavy and soft. O’Brien said his horse should take to firm going. State of Rest will also be making his first start over one mile.

“He’s travelled over well. He should like the firm track. We’re looking forward to seeing him run,” O’Brien said.

While State of Rest will make his first start across the pond, Alpha Racing’s Cadillac returns to the United States after finishing fourth to Fire At Will in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on November 6 at Keeneland.

Trained by Mrs. John Harrington, the bay son of Lope de Vega arrives off a sharp triumph against older horses in the Group 3 ARM Holding International on June 26 at The Curragh going ten furlongs, where he out nosed a four-horse cavalry charge, including group stakes winners Dawn Patrol and True Self.

He garnered a group victory during his 2-year-old season, capturing the Group 2 KPMG Champions Juvenile on September 12 at Leopardstown by 3 ½ lengths over subsequent Group 1-winner Van Gogh.

Under the watchful eye of travelling assistant Adrian Bolger, Cadillac went out for a canter over the Oklahoma training track on Friday at 7 a.m.

“He’s travelled great. We can’t ask any more of him,” Bolger said. “He’s doing everything you would want him to do. We’re just waiting for race day and hoping all goes well. We’re happy with him.”

Shane Foley, the jockey for all six starts, will ship to Saratoga to ride Cadillac.

Wink has $120K Galway in her sights for trainer Wesley Ward

Stonestreet Stables’ Wink will look to notch a second stakes win in her sophomore campaign, with trainer Wesley Ward saying the daughter of Midshipman remains on target for the $120,000 Galway for 3-year-old fillies going 5 1/2 furlongs on the Saratoga turf on August 15.

Wink arrived off a six-month layoff to win the five-furlong Melody of Colors in her seasonal debut in March at Gulfstream Park. After running ninth last out in the Mamzelle in May at Churchill Downs, Ward gave the Kentucky bred another three months off as he waited for ideal weather conditions.

“She’s been going good; the big thing with her is that she likes firmer ground and it’s something we haven’t had because of all the rain,” Ward said. “If the rain holds off, we’ll be ready.”

Wink earned international black type in a juvenile year that started with a debut win in June 2020 at Belmont Park ahead of a three-quarter length win in the Colleen going five furlongs on the Monmouth turf last August before shipping to France and running third in the Group 3 Prix d’Arenberg going five furlongs at the famous Longchamp course.

Following that European sojourn, Wink received a freshening before embarking on her 3-year-old year. She is now set for her first start at Saratoga.

Safe Conduct on target for Queen's Plate

Trainer Phil Serpe said Wellspring Stables Ontario-bred Safe Conduct is likely to make his next start in the $1 million Queen's Plate, first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown.

The historic Queen's Plate, a 10-furlong Tapeta test for Canadian-bred sophomores, is slated for August 22 at Woodbine Racetrack.

“That's the plan right now. Being Canadian-bred, you have to look at that race. If all goes well with his next breeze, that's a strong consideration,” said Serpe. “For $1 million Canadian, it's something you seriously have to look at.”

Last out, Safe Conduct failed to fire when eighth over good turf in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational on July 10. The sizable bay has since breezed twice over the Oklahoma training turf, including a sharp five-eighths effort in 1:00.90 on August 1.

“Right now, his best race is turf and that's why I work him on turf,” Serpe said. “Some turf horses will run on Tapeta, some won't. But its more logical to me to breeze him on the surface he likes better.”

A gate-to-wire maiden winner at second asking traveling 1 1/16-miles on the Saratoga turf in August, Safe Conduct followed with a prominent second in a nine-furlong optional claimer on the Gulfstream Park turf in March to launch his sophomore season.

At odds of 38-1, the improving colt bested Public Sector, who is entered in Friday's Grade 2 Hall of Fame here, on May 2 in a 1 1/16-mile optional-claiming event on firm Belmont turf.

Safe Conduct returned on short rest to finish a distant fourth in the off-the-turf Grade 3 Pennine Ridge contested at nine furlongs on May 29 over a sloppy and sealed Belmont main track ahead of his Belmont Derby effort.

“He came back a little quick off an allowance win and we didn't know how he would handle a sloppy track, but he's a good sound horse and we wanted to see how he would run but he didn't like that,” Serpe said. “He's a big, heavy horse and he just did not like the soft turf there last time.

“We regrouped a little bit and we'll see how things go,” Serpe added. “He's training well and working well.”

The Bodemeister bay, a $45,000 purchase at the 2018 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, is out of the Congrats mare Duchess Dancer. His second dam, Sararegal, produced Canada's 2008 Horse of the Year Fatal Bullet, runner-up to Midnight Lute in that year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Santa Anita.

Serpe said Safe Conduct will have one more work before making the trek north to Woodbine.

"Right now that's the plan," Serpe said. "He had a big work last Sunday, so we're giving him a little breather now and he's scheduled to work back a week from today on the turf and that would be his final work before the race."

Serpe will saddle Wellspring Stables' Ampersand in Saturday's third-race, a first-level allowance sprint at six furlongs on the main track.

The Speightster chestnut made a winning debut last August in an off-the-turf maiden special weight sprint before testing deeper waters when a distant fourth in the Grade 1 Hopeful.

The Florida-bred Ampersand made four starts in restricted allowance events in Florida, with his rest result coming on April 1 when second by a neck after a hard-fought prominent trip

“Even though he's a Florida-bred, Florida was not his thing. He did not like that climate,” Serpe said. “Once we got him back up north, his works improved. We could never get him to match his works in Florida like he was breezing up here. He looks good. His works are good. We'll see what happens with him here. It will be a reality check.

“We really thought he was going to be a nice horse because he was working effortlessly as a 2-year-old with some really nice workouts and he's kind of matching that now,” Serpe added.

Listed at 20-1 on the morning-line with Jose Lezcano slated to ride from the outermost post 6, Ampersand will be making his second start off the layoff out of an off-the-board effort in a seven-furlong turf sprint in July at Belmont.

Saratoga Week 5 stakes probables

Thursday, August 12

$100,000 Saratoga Dew

Probable: Dancingwthdaffodls (Eduardo Jones), Espresso Shot (Jorge Abreu), Good Credence (Anthony Margotta, Jr.), Maiden Beauty (Robert Falcone, Jr.), Mrs. Orb (Michael Miceli)

Possible: Makingcents (Jeremiah Englehart)

Friday, August 13

$120,000 Tale of the Cat

Probable: Bon Raison (Jack Sisterson), Shashashakemeup (Peter Walder), Wind of Change (Saffie Joseph, Jr.)

Possible: My Boy Tate (Michelle Nevin), Our Last Buck (Michelle Nevin), Three Technique (Jeremiah Englehart)

Saturday, August 14

Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave BC WAYI

Probable: Daddy Is A Legend (George Weaver), Got Stormy (Mark Casse), Raging Bull (Chad Brown), Rinaldi (Jimmy Bond), Set Piece (Brad Cox)

Possible: Whisper Not (Richard Baltas)

Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite

Probable: Doctor Jeff (Rudy Rodriguez), Glacial (Norm Casse), Gunite (Steve Asmussen), High Oak (Bill Mott), Kavod (James Chapman), Kitodan (Jorge Delgado), Midnight Worker (Todd Pletcher), Sonnyisnotsofunny (Mike Maker)

Possible: Ottoman Empire (Tom Amoss)

Sunday, August 15

$120,000 Galway

Probable: Alwayz Late (Bill Mott), Dr B (Butch Reid, Jr.), Goin’ Good (Brad Cox), Illegal Smile (Wesley Ward), Kokopelli (Christophe Clement), Mischiefful (Ian Wilkes), Star Devine (Jorge Abreu), Wink (Wesley Ward)