Survie, after Christophe Clement win, may not start again until Breeders' Cup

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Though Survie proved quite effective running back on short rest to win Saturday’s Grade 1 Christophe Clement Stakes at Saratoga, it is expected her next start won’t be for 11 weeks when she returns to the U.S. for a run at the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Turf on Oct. 31 at Keeneland.

“It’s quite a long time really, from now until the Breeders’ Cup, but the likelihood is she’ll go straight there,” trainer George Boughey said by phone Sunday. “She’s become easier to train, but there are options along the way as a lead-in up to it.”

The Clement victory earned Survie a fees-paid berth into the BC Turf, but Boughey said he and owner Michael Tabor will keep the $2 million Filly and Mare Turf as an option as well. Still, the 1 1/2 miles of the Turf is more appealing than the 1 3/16 miles of the $2 million Filly and Mare Turf.

“I think she’ll go to the mile-and-half [Turf], she looked like she needed it yesterday,” Boughey said. “I think it’s wise to keep both options open, but it certainly looks like it’s the Turf at the moment.”

Survie, a 5-year-old daughter of Churchill, won the Christophe Clement against males at 1 1/2 miles just 13 days after winning the Grade 2 Glens Falls here at 1 1/2 miles against females. In both cases, she unleashed a devastating turn of foot, the one on Saturday more eye-catching considering how slow the early pace was as the time for six furlongs was 1:18.98 and Survie was last of the sextet.

“When [Ancient Egypt] fell out of the gate, the race complexion completely changed,” Boughey said. “I must admit I thought she was presented with a pretty hard task, but she’s got a turn of foot and lucky she was able to show that [Saturday].”

Survie earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure for the performance, three points higher than the 95 she earned for the Glens Falls. Survie was scheduled to leave Saratoga on Wednesday and arrive back in England on Thursday.

Boughey hopes to have a second horse for the Breeders’ Cup in Libertango, winner of the Group 2 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot and a candidate for the $1 million Juvenile Turf Sprint. Libertango, who finished second in the Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket on July 10, is scheduled to make her next start in the Group 2 Lowther Stakes at York on Thursday.

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