Soldier Rising gears up for trip to Hong Kong

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Soldier Rising, still in search of his first stakes victory, will travel to Hong Kong to try and achieve it.

Soldier Rising is being pointed to the Group 1, $3.06 million Hong Kong Vase on Dec. 10 at Sha Tin, according to trainer Christophe Clement. Soldier Rising was expected to work at Belmont Park over the weekend and ship to Hong Kong on Dec. 1.

“He’s doing very well. He came out of the Red Smith in very good shape. He’s been very consistent. He stays,” Clement said Friday about the decision to try the Hong Kong Vase. “Hong Kong is a very good race, it’s a mile and a half. It’s ambitious, but why not?”

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Though winless in eight races this year, Soldier Rising had the unique distinction of finishing second in all four Grade 1 marathon turf stakes offered on the New York Racing Association circuit – the Man o’ War, Manhattan, Sword Dancer, and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic. He added another runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Red Smith Stakes on Nov. 11 at Aqueduct.

Though Soldier Rising has won just 4 of 21 starts and is 0 for 14 in stakes, he has earned $1.3 million.

The winner of the Hong Kong Vase gets $1.7 million, the runner-up $640,000, and the third-place finisher earns $352,000.

Clement has shipped horses to Hong Kong two times previously with mixed results. In 1994, River Majesty finished second in the Hong Kong Cup, back then worth $711,200. In 2010, Winchester finished 11th of 13 in the Hong Kong Vase.

Clement trains Soldier Rising for Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Morris Bailey, Wonder Stables, and Michael Caruso.

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