Clement has turf card surrounded

Saturday's inaugural edition of the Calder Turf Million could turn into the Christophe Clement Turf Million before the afternoon runs its course. Clement will send out the favorites in three of the four grass stakes on the card, including the improving 3-year-olds Sporting Art and Flying Dismount in the $400,000 Calder Derby.

The Grade 3 Calder Derby at 1 1/8 miles is the highlight of the Turf Million, which also includes the $300,000 Mairzy Doates Handicap for fillies and mares, the $250,000 Bob Umphrey Sprint Handicap, and the $200,000 Calder Oaks for 3-year-old fillies.

Sporting Art and Flying Dismount finished first and second, a neck apart, in Gulfstream Park's Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes on March 29. The victory was the first in this country for Sporting Art, a son of Doneraile Court who had been beaten a neck at Gulfstream in his only other U.S. appearance five weeks earlier.

Flying Dismount had won a maiden race and a first-level allowance at Tampa Bay Downs after being transferred to Clement's barn last fall. He just failed to continue that streak when his closing surge fell short of catching his stablemate in the Palm Beach.

"It's really hard to choose between the two horses, which is why I'm running them both," said Clement. "They're both looking well and training well coming into the race. Sporting Art keeps improving and is really an exciting horse to be around. Flying Dismount is another who never stops improving. He's starting to become a real Cinderella story."

Javier Castellano and Rene Douglas, who rode Sporting Art and Flying Dismount in the Palm Beach, will return to south Florida to take the same assignments in the Calder Derby.

Titan of Industry and Run Sully Run, fourth and fifth in the Palm Beach, will attempt to avenge those setbacks on Saturday. Titan of Industry joined the leaders near midstretch but could not sustain his bid in the Palm Beach, while Run Sully Run was beaten just over three lengths despite losing considerable ground attempting to rally into the stretch.

Dream Maestro, second behind local division leader Hey Byrn in the Holy Bull Stakes two weeks earlier, will make his grass debut for trainer Bill Kaplan.