Speaktomeofsummer puts bow Clement's strong opening weekend

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Christophe Clement capped a memorable opening weekend to the 2020 Saratoga meet when Speaktomeofsummer narrowly held off Stunning Sky to register a head decision in Sunday’s Grade 2 Lake Placid Stakes.

The victory was the third of the afternoon for Clement, his fifth in two days, and completed a sweep of the first two 3-year-old turf stakes of the meet. Clement also won Saturday’s Grade 2 Hall of Fame with the odds-on Decorated Invader.

The Lake Placid also capped a tremendous weekend for winning jockey Joel Rosario who posted back-to-back hat tricks on Saturday and Sunday’s cards, including the Hall of Fame aboard Decorated Invader.

Speaktomeofsummer, a stakes winner at 2 but making only her second start as a 3-year-old, checked off the heels of Stunning Sky into the first turn before settling near the middle of the field while saving ground for the opening seven furlongs of the 1 1/8-mile Lake Placid. Speaktomeofsummer found a seam between horses while launching her bid in early stretch, stuck her head in front of Stunning Sky near midstretch, and then maintained the advantage under strong handling at the end.

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Stunning Sky also saved ground early while racing just in front of Speaktomeofsummer, checking briefly awaiting clearance on the final bend. She found ample room along the rail to overtake the tiring leaders nearing the furlong grounds, fought on gamely after being headed by the winner a sixteenth out, but was not quite good enough. She finished 1 1/2 lengths in front of Queens Embrace who rallied from last to be third.

Cat’s Pajamas raced well placed before flattening out down the stretch to finish fifth as the 2-1 favorite in a field of eight 3-year-old fillies.

Waterford Stable owns Speaktomeofsummer, a daughter of the multiple graded stakes winner Summer Front, who also was trained by Clement.

Speaktomeofsummer toured the distance over a firm turf course in 1:49.44 and returned $11.60.

“Joel is riding great, and she had a great trip,” Clement said. “I think taking the blinkers off and the fact she was a touch fitter made the difference between this race and her last. She disappointed me a little last time. I put blinkers on her for that race because she was lazy in her works in the morning. But she was pretty game in the last eighth of a mile today, and I’m really delighted, especially for Waterford Stable, who has been a longtime owner of mine and for whom I’ve trained many good horses, including Summer Front.”

Clement said the Saratoga Oaks Invitational on Aug. 15 would be under consideration for Speaktomeofsummer’s next start.