Christophe Clement (Coglianese)
Big Everest Eyes Potential Start in Lure
Silver Skillet May Exit State-Bred Company
Pandagate Targeting Albany
NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, R.A. Hill Stable, and Brandon M. Dalinka’s Vekoma colt No Evidence looks to debut a winner for trainer Christophe Clement in Race 1 on Friday at Saratoga Race Course – a 5 1/2-furlong sprint on the Mellon turf course for juveniles. No Evidence will have Hall of Famer Joel Rosario in the tack from the outermost post 8.
Vekoma currently sits in second on the freshman sire list behind Complexity with 11 winners from 20 starters and nine of those winners being first time starters.
No Evidence, out of the winning The Factor mare Hidden Facts, comes into this first assignment off a strong half-mile gate work on July 1 in 49.10 at the Oklahoma dirt training track which preceded a half-mile leg stretch over the Oklahoma turf course in 51.88 seconds around the dogs on July 8.
He is a $325,000 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase where he worked 10 flat over the Tapeta down in Ocala. Clement’s son and Saratoga-based assistant, Miguel, is encouraged with the way the colt is coming into the race.
“Excited! With first time starters you never know about many new variables. Nevertheless, at home he has been training like a proper horse. Joel loved his work the other day on the grass and it’s time to go,” Miguel said.
In Race 1 on Saturday here, a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for juveniles, the Clement barn sends out another for debut in Hands of Time. The stout gray son of Liam’s Map and the Bernardini mare Rolexa will exit post 7 under Rosario.
Bought from the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling sale for $180,000, he is campaigned by Alan Quartucci, Steven C. Duncker, Vicarage Stable, and St. Elias Stable. Hands of Time worked a bullet from the gate on the Oklahoma track on July 3 covering four-furlongs in 50 flat, ranked the fastest of 14 works at the distance. On July 12, he took a half-mile spin around the Oklahoma training turf in 50.45 seconds.
Miguel was bullish on how the horse was coming into his debut.
“Joel was in the saddle the last time he worked on the grass. It was a good work, we are encouraged,” offered Miguel. “We are aware of several fancy maidens in the race. Several horses who seem to be the buzz horses on the backside all wound up in the same maiden, nevertheless he is training well so it is time to go.”
Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Steven Rocco, and William Branch’s 6-year-old gelding Big Everest eyes a potential start in the Spa’s $135,000 Listed Fasig-Tipton Lure on August 3, a 1 1/16-mile turf event for older horses which have not won a graded sweepstakes in 2024.
Christophe, on his way back to Saratoga from Belmont this morning said, “We are strongly considering the Lure for him. He is training well at Belmont.”
By The Gurkha and out of the Whywhywhy mare Long Face, Big Everest is a nine-time winner over the grass with four stakes wins to his name. Last out, he won a 1 1/16-mile turf optional claiming event by a neck over Major Dude on June 23 during the Belmont at the Big A meet.
Silver Skillet, fresh off a win in the New York-bred $125,000 Port Washington on July 7 at the Big A for owners Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Tango Uniform Racing and Steven Rocco, could potentially look to exit state-bred company and be seen at Saratoga in the July 31 Listed $135,000 De La Rose, a one-mile inner turf event for older fillies and mares which have not won a graded sweepstake in 2024.
The daughter of Liam’s Map and the stakes-winning Red Giant mare Catcha Rising Star boasts a record of 5-3-2 from 14 lifetime starts with three stakes wins. Silver Skillet is undefeated on the Saratoga turf course in two efforts, both in New York-bred company.
While Monday was a dark day for Saratoga racing, the Clement barn enjoyed a trip west to Finger Lakes Racing and Gaming with Pandagate for the New York Derby, a 1 1/16-mile event for sophomore New York-breds.
Campaigned by Adelphi Racing Club, Madaket Stables, Corms Racing Stable, and On the Rise Again Stable, the son of Arrogate and the winning Sky Mesa mare Kitty Panda, returned from a valiant third to Japan-based Forever Young in the Group 2 UAE Derby at Meydan Racecourse to win a Derby of his own.
Breaking from post 4 under Dylan Davis, Pandagate crossed the line three-quarter lengths in front of Doc Sullivan while earning a new lifetime best Beyer Speed Figure of 89 in victory.
#4 PANDAGATE ($4.70) under @DavisJockey rallies on the outside to get up and win the $150,000 New York Derby at Finger Lakes. The son of Arrogate is trained by Christophe Clement . Congrats to all the connections! pic.twitter.com/RVKMZj6ZFD
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) July 15, 2024
Miguel, who traveled with the horse to both Meydan in March and Finger Lakes, said he was pleased with the performance from Pandagate, who will now target the nine-furlong $250,000 Albany for fellow state-bred sophomores on August 25 here.
“He is a fun horse that has taken us all over the world. Who would have guessed that his last start would be Dubai and then we would end up at Finger Lakes in our next start,” Miguel said. “Nevertheless, he is a very fun New York-bred that could win at the highest level. I was delighted to win first off the layoff and we expect him to train forwardly ahead of the Albany Stakes.”
Other horses in the barn with potential stakes targets at the Spa include Parnac, Avenue Niel, La Mehana, and Atomic Blonde all with the Grade 2, $250,000 Glens Falls, a 1 1/2-mile mile turf test for older fillies and mares on August 1 as a landing spot.
Grade 3 Gotham winner Deterministic and Grade 1 Summer winner Carson’s Run could either be seen in the Grade 1, $600,000 Grade 1 Saratoga Derby, a 1 3/16-mile Mellon turf test for sophomores on August 3 or the Grade 2, $500,000 National Racing Museum of Racing Hall of Fame, a one-mile turf test for sophomores on August 2.
