Clement wins his 2,000th race in Gulfstream finale

Trainer Christophe Clement became the newest member of the 2,000-win club when Gufo got up in the final strides to win Friday’s 11th and final race at Gulfstream Park.

Earlier in the day, Clement won his 1,999th race when Parish Poet won a maiden race at Tampa Bay Downs.

Clement, 54, is a native of France who went out on his own in the U.S. in 1991 and recorded his first victory that year in October at Belmont Park.

Over the last three decades, Clement has become a fixture on the New York Racing Association circuit as well as Florida in the winter time.

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He has trained a bevy of stakes winners with his most accomplished runner being Gio Ponti, a seven-time Grade 1 winner who earned $5,369,800. Gio Ponti was voted champion older male in 2009 and champion male turf horse in 2009-10.

Clement won the 2014 Belmont Stakes with Tonalist, who denied California Chrome a chance at the Triple Crown.

Clement watched Gufo’s victory from his home in Jupiter, Fla., after driving home from Payson Park, where he is based in the winter.

“As a trainer you go to work and say let’s try to win every day,” Clement said. “It’s meaningful because it’s a lot of wins. I feel great, I’m not too old, I think the stable is stronger than ever, let’s keep going.”

In addition to Gio Ponti and Tonalist, some of Clement’s other standout runners include Disco Partner, Pure Sensation, Voodoo Dancer, England’s Legend, Discreet Marq, Forbidden Apple, Danish, and In Summation.

“I’ve been able to work for some top-class owners and the better horses come from those owners,” Clement said.

For the second straight year, Clement has been named a finalist for the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.