Sword Dancer to be renamed Christophe Clement Turf starting in 2026

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Grade 1 Sword Dancer, a 1 1/2-mile turf race, will be renamed the Christophe Clement Turf beginning in 2026, the New York Racing Association announced Saturday just before the 51st running of the Sword Dancer.

Christophe Clement, who died in May from cancer at the age of 59, won the Sword Dancer a record five times. Far Bridge, who won the 2024 Sword Dancer for Christophe Clement, finished sixth as the favorite in Saturday’s renewal of the Sword Dancer for Miguel Clement, Christophe’s son and former assistant.

Christophe Clement first won the Sword Dancer in 1999 with Honor Glide. His other winners include Winchester (2011) and Gufo (2021-22).

“On behalf of our entire Clement family, we would like to thank NYRA for this honor,” Valerie Clement, Christophe’s widow, said in a press release. “It’s a race that meant a lot to Christophe and we know his spirit loves in through all of us.”

Christophe Clement, who began training in the U.S. in 1991, won 2,576 races from 13,270 starts and his horses earned $184,121,369. His best horses included Tonalist, Gio Ponti and Gufo.

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