Clement makes first visit to Del Mar

DEL MAR, Calif. – Trainer Christophe Clement won the Grade 1 Bing Crosby the first year it was run on Polytrack in 2007, he won the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks last year with Discreet Marq, and over the years, he has sent numerous other horses such as the grass runner Summer Front here for stakes races. But not until Friday morning had he ever set foot at Del Mar.

“It’s hard to get away during Saratoga,” Clement said Friday. “I can’t get out. But when they had this meet, it was my chance.”

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Clement usually has his top assistant, Christophe Lorieul, head west with his stakes runners. Lorieul was here earlier in the week, then passed the baton to the boss when Clement arrived.

It was another gorgeous morning here, which had Clement thinking he might have to have a bigger presence for the fall meeting at Del Mar in 2015.

“What’s not to like?” he said.

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Clement had Za Approval in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit on Friday and Discreet Marq in the Grade 1 Matriarch on Sunday. Both were scheduled to go to Clement’s winter quarters at Payson Park in Florida following the weekend.

Clement said Summer Front and his Belmont Stakes winner, Tonalist, already were at Payson for freshening.

“They watch each other from their paddock every day,” Clement said.