Clement may run two in the Long Island
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Mutamakina and La Dragontea, the one-two finishers in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor on Oct. 17 at Woodbine, are both being pointed to the Grade 3, $400,000 Long Island Stakes, on Nov. 27 at Aqueduct, trainer Christophe Clement said.
Mutamakina, who ended her 2020 campaign with a victory in the Long Island, worked a half-mile in 52.39 seconds on Sunday morning over the Belmont Park turf course. With the course soft due to Saturday’s rain and three sets of orange traffic cones, in racing parlance called dogs, keeping horses way outside, Mutamakina got her final quarter in 24.67 under jockey Dylan Davis.
La Dragontea, who won the Grade 2 Canadian at Woodbine before getting beat a neck in the E.P. Taylor, did not work Sunday. That’s because earlier in the week she had just returned to Clement’s barn after she went through the Fasig-Tipton auction on Tuesday. She sold for $1.375 million, purchased by Nigel Austion’s Rosemont Stud, based in Australia. Clement said La Dragontea is going to make one more start here and then head to Australia, where she is expected to race for at least part of 2022.
Clement said La Dragontea’s participation in the Long Island would depend how she worked this coming weekend. Clement said it also is possible La Dragontea would be considered for the Bobby Frankel Stakes on Dec. 31 at Santa Anita.
“The Long Island makes sense, it’s here in New York,” Clement said. “She was doing very, very well [before the sale]. She lost a week of training, but she was very, very fit. We’ll work her next week, and subject to the work we’ll decide what to do.”
Clement also is considering running Sorrel in the Long Island. Sorrel, a 4-year-old Irish-bred daughter of Dansili, finished third, three lengths behind War Like Goddess, in the Grade 3 Orchid Stakes on March 27 at Gulfstream. She came out of that race – her only start in North America – a bit sore, Clement said, precipitating ample time off. She worked a half-mile by herself Sunday over the Belmont turf in 52.55. Clement said Sorrel would only run in the Long Island if the Aqueduct turf was on the firm side. Otherwise, she would likely return during the winter meet at Gulfstream Park.
On Sunday, Clement worked Solider Rising and City Man a half-mile together. Soldier Rising started about two lengths back of City Man and finished on even terms, completing a half-mile in 52.91. He is expected to run in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Red Smith. Solider Rising, a 3-year-old gelding, finished second in both the Saratoga Derby and Jockey Club Derby before finishing fifth as the 8-5 favorite in the Grade 2 Hill Prince. In the Hill Prince, Soldier Rising was a dozen lengths back after the opening half-mile. He was beaten 3 1/4 lengths.
“Even though he got beat the other day, I actually thought he ran a very good race,” Clement said. “We were asking an impossible task.”
Clement also was considering City Man for the Red Smith, but wasn’t overly thrilled with his work Sunday so he is not sure he’ll enter him.
The Red Smith, run at 1 3/8 miles, is expected to attract Channel Cat, upset winner of the Grade 1 Man o’ War in May, Corelli, Doswell, No Word, Price Talk, Serve the King, Shamrocket, Solider Rising, and Value Engineering.
On Sunday, Serve the King and Value Engineering – both trained by Chad Brown – worked five furlongs in company in 1:04.24 over the soft Belmont turf.
Price Talk (four furlongs in 53.16) and Corelli (four furlongs in 50.75) also worked Sunday over the Belmont turf.
Brown duo to try elders
Fluffy Socks and Higher Truth, who finished first and third in the Grade 2 Sands Point for 3-year-old fillies on Oct. 16, could stay in New York and face older fillies and mares in the Grade 3, $300,000 Long Island Stakes on Nov. 27, trainer Chad Brown said.
Brown has both also under consideration for the Grade 1 American Oaks on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita.
“We could face older horses in the Long Island or wait for the American Oaks,” Brown said. “I want to think about it and talk to the owners. I don’t mind running them against each other if I have to.”
On Sunday, Higher Truth and Fluffy Socks went five furlongs together in 1:03.81 over a soft Belmont Park turf course.
◗ Mandate, who upset Saturday’s $150,000 Artie Schiller Stakes, will be pointed to the $95,000 Claiming Crown Emerald on Dec. 4 at Gulfstream Park.
Mandate, who gave trainer Richard Johnston his first stakes victory, earned a 94 Beyer Speed Figure for the win.
◗ Plum Ali, who ended a seven-race losing streak by winning Sunday’s $150,000 Winter Memories Stakes, will get a break and be pointed to a 4-year-old campaign.
Plum Ali, trained by Christophe Clement, earned an 88 Beyer Speed Figure for her victory.