Clapton privately purchased, will run in Jockey Club Gold Cup
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Clapton has joined a new band, er barn.
Clapton, winner of the Grade 3 Ghostzapper Stakes at Gulfstream Park in April and runner-up in the Grade 2 Suburban at Belmont Park last month, was purchased privately by Sheikh Rashid Bin Humaid Alnuami’s RRR Racing from Arindel Farm. He has been turned over to trainer Chad Summers, who will start him in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga.
Summers said that RRR Racing likes to buy horses in the U.S. and bring them over to run in Saudi Arabia and the racing carnival in Dubai. Last year, RRR purchased U.S.-based runners Isolate, Sound Money, and First Constitution.
Isolate, formerly trained by Tom Amoss for Dean Reeves, won this year’s Group 2 Godolphin Mile. Sound Money, second in the 2022 True North and Westchester for Chad Brown, won this year’s Group 3 Mahal Al Shimaal in Dubai. Lastly, First Constitution, winner of the Jazil and Flat Out Stakes for Todd Pletcher, finished third in the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge.
“Sheikh Rashid is a really, really good guy. He loves to compete against the blue of Godolphin; why not do it over here in the States too?” Summers said.
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Summers said the deal was closed about 2 1/2 weeks ago. Clapton, based at Gulfstream with Juan Alvarado, worked five furlongs there in 1:00.19 on Aug. 19. He then shipped to Saratoga, where on Sunday, he went a half-mile in 48.48 seconds over the main track under Irad Ortiz Jr., who will ride him in the Jockey Club.
“He’s a horse that’s been on our radar for a while. He keeps getting better and better,” Summers said. “It started with Pegasus day, when he won the Ghostzapper. He always shows up, he always runs a good effort.”
In between the Ghostzapper win and his second in the Suburban, Clapton finished third behind Rattle N Roll in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special on May 19.
Rattle N Roll is expected to vie for favoritism in Saturday’s Jockey Club Gold Cup with Proxy, who won last year’s Grade 1 Clark Handicap.
After winning the Pimlico Special, Rattle N Roll came back to win the Grade 3 Blame Stakes before running second to West Will Power in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster.
Proxy, who most recently won the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup, is trained by Michael Stidham for Godolphin.
Others pointing to the Jockey Club Gold Cup include the Josie Carroll-trained pair of Duke of Love and Tyson, Bright Fugure, Warrior Johny, and Unbridled Bomber.
The Jockey Club Gold Cup, run at 1 1/4 miles, is a Win and You’re In race toward the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 4.
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