Parnac after her wire-to-wire triumph in the Flower Bowl (Joe Labozzetta)
NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— Trainer Christophe Clement enjoyed his eighth stakes conquest of the Saratoga Race Course meet on Saturday when West Point Thoroughbreds and Dream With Me Stable’s Parnac posted a gate-to-wire upset score in the Grade 2, $500,000 Flower Bowl going 1 3/8 miles over the inner turf.
Piloted by Dylan Davis, the 4-year-old French-bred daughter of Zarak was in control throughout the three-turn event and maintained her command in spite of a stretch surge from 2-5 favorite McKulick to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Parnac earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.
Clement enjoyed previous Spa stakes success this meet with Roses for Debra, who stuck gold twice when capturing the Grade 3 Caress on July 22 and the Smart N Fancy on August 25 – both 5 1/2-furlong turf sprints – as well as Silver Skillet, who captured the August 16 Suzie O’Cain for New York-breds. Clement captured the John’s Call on August 23 going 1 5/8 miles with Tawny Port. On the August 27 New York Showcase Day, he saddled a trio stakes winners in New Ginya [Yaddo], Drake’s Passage [Albany] and fan-favorite City Man [West Point presented by Trustco Bank].
“They’ve been running very well. We’ve been winning sprinting, dirt, turf, mile and five-eights, so we’ve been all over the place,” Clement said. “We’re extremely lucky to have great owners and a great team. I’m a lucky man.”
Parnac entered the Flower Bowl from a close third-place finish in the Grade 3 Robert Dick Memorial on July 1 going the Flower Bowl distance at Delaware Park which followed a victorious 11-furlong debut over Belmont’s inner turf on June 11.
“She looked well this morning,” Clement said. “I’m delighted and still enjoying the win from yesterday. Dylan gave her a great ride on the lead. She’s been improving all year long if you look back at her form. It’s nice when it works out.”
Parnac could have plenty of options moving forward from her Flower Bowl triumph, where she earned an automatic entry into the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita. The Filly and Mare Turf is among those options according to Clement, who also mentioned the Grade 3, $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Waya on October 7 going 11 furlongs at Belmont at the Big A, the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor on October 8 going 10 furlongs at Woodbine and the Grade 3 Long Island in November at Aqueduct Racetrack as potential targets.
“We’ll enjoy this for a few more days and start thinking about her next start. There’s the Breeders’ Cup, the Waya, the Long Island, the E.P. Taylor. No need to make a decision now,” Clement said.
Clement also saddled Moyglare Stud Farm’s Amazing Grace to a third-place finish in the Flower Bowl. The 5-year-old German bred Protectionist mare ran an even fourth throughout most of the running before making up ground to round out the trifecta and finished 1 1/2 lengths in arrears of her stablemate. She entered the Flower Bowl from a troubled third behind McKulick in the Grade 2 Glens Falls on August 3 going 1 1/2 miles at Saratoga.
“She also ran a really good race. A longer stretch would probably help her a little bit,” Clement said of Amazing Grace. “Her last two races I thought she ran really well, she was just a touch unlucky in both races because of the pace scenario yesterday and in the time before that she got squeezed at the three-eighths pole. She’s a good mare and something good is going to happen. One day will be her day. I think a mile and a quarter to a mile and a half she’s fine. She just needs pace and a clear trip.”
Clement added that New Ginya will likely target the $125,000 John Hettinger on September 22 at Belmont at the Big A while Albany winner Drake’s Passage will pursue the $250,000 Empire Classic on October 29. Both horses are Robert Evans New York homebreds by Tonalist. City Man, a graded stakes-winning New York-bred millionaire, also will target New York-bred stakes action.
