Clement gets started with Shadiyna

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - After hibernating this winter in south Florida, trainer Christophe Clement's stable has migrated north, and he will start his first horse in New York this year when he sends out the European import Shadiyna in Friday's featured second-level allowance going 1 1/16 miles over Aqueduct's turf.

As far as allowance races go, this one did not come up overly strong. A field of six was entered for the turf, with two more entered in the event that the race is moved to the dirt. The forecast is favorable for turf racing for the final three days of the meet.

Shadiyna has not run since finishing eighth in a listed stakes in France last November. Overall, she has two wins from eight starts. Her claim to fame may be that in her debut, in September 2007, she finished third to Goldikova, who last fall won the Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita.

"Her French form is average-plus," Clement said. "She's never shown stakes-caliber form in France, but she looks well - this is worth trying."

Clement is hoping that jockey Rajiv Maragh can keep Shadiyna fairly close to the pace in the early stages of the race.

"I don't think she's got a great turn of foot," Clement said. "The jock will have to work it out, but I'd like to see her get a stalking or midpack trip. She's never showed in the morning an explosive turn of foot. She might be better going a mile and three-sixteenths or a mile and a quarter, but we'll try this and stretch her out after that."

Shadiyna gets Lasix for the first time.

Viva La Flag makes her 5-year-old debut in this spot. She has finished second in four of her last five races, beaten half-length or less each time. In two of her allowance races, she finished second to subsequent stakes winners Lady Carlock and Sunshine for Life.

The New York-bred Follow My Dream makes her 6-year-old debut in this spot. She has raced competitively in open company and did win a restricted stakes over this course last November.

Double Dingy Day, mired in this condition for 20 months, and Main Street and Nasreen complete the field on turf.

Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the relationship of a starter, Shadiyna, and Shamdinan, winner of the 2007 Secretariat Stakes. They are not siblings.