Clement can win Long Island three ways

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – In Mutamakina, La Dragontea, and Sorrel, trainer Christophe Clement has a strong three-ply uncoupled entry for Saturday’s Grade 3, $400,000 Long Island Stakes at Aqueduct, the final graded turf stakes to be run on this circuit this year, which drew a highly competitive eight-horse field.

Mutamakina won last year’s Long Island and, most recently, took the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine, holding off a late run from La Dragontea. La Dragontea was coming off two stakes wins before that defeat. Sorrel, who will only run if the turf is on the firm side, would be making her first start since she finished third to War Like Goddess in the Grade 3 Orchid at Gulfstream Park last March.

The Long Island will be the final start for Mutamakina before she is returned to Europe – where she began her career – and bred to Dubawi, Clement said. La Dragontea is making her final start for Clement. La Dragontea was purchased by Nigel Austin’s Rosemont Stud for $1.375 million at the Fasig-Tipton auction earlier this month and will be heading to Australia to race in 2022.

Mutamakina won last year’s Long Island when it was run at 1 3/8 miles. Saturday, it will be run at 1 1/2 miles. While Mutamakina is 0 for 3 at 1 1/2 miles, she was second to Sottsass at the distance in the Group 2 Prix Niel in 2019. Sottsass won the Group 1 Arc de Triomphe in 2020.

“Mutamakina is a true stayer who’ll love the mile and a half and is training very well,” Clement said.

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Dylan Davis rides Mutamakina from post 7.

Clement felt La Dragontea had trouble in the E.P. Taylor. Prior to that, she had won two straight races including the Grade 2 Canadian at Woodbine.

“She ran a great race yet had to check an eighth of a mile before the wire, which might have cost her the race,” Clement said of La Dragontea’s effort in the E.P. Taylor. “She’s very genuine.”

Clement noted that La Dragontea did have her training interrupted a bit while she was in Kentucky for the sale. She is 0 for 2 at 1 1/2 miles.

“If she relaxes well, she should stay,” Clement said.

Javier Castellano rides La Dragontea from post 4.

Sorrel came out of her third-place finish in the Orchid a bit sore and was given plenty of time off. Clement is hoping that rain forecast Thursday night into Friday doesn’t make the Aqueduct turf too soft.

“As long as the course is on the good side of firm, I’ll run her,” said Clement, who has Manny Franco to ride from post 8.

Luck Money, trained by Arnaud Delacour, beat Mutamakina in the Zagora Stakes at Belmont 13 months ago and faces her again in the Long Island. She is 0 for 6 with three seconds since the Zagora, including a half-length defeat to Saturday rival Summer in Saratoga in the Grade 3 Dowager at Keeneland on Oct. 24.

Summer in Saratoga, trained by Joe Sharp, showed that 1 1/2 miles was no problem, producing a solid late run to split rivals and win the Dowager.

Orglandes and Candy Flower, the first- and third-place finishers in the Zagora at Belmont on Nov. 7, and Harajuku, third in the Jockey Club Oaks, complete the field.