Amazing Grace Likely to Target Woodbine’s G1 E.P. Taylor
G3 Waya Probable Next Stop for Parnac
Impressive Debut Winner Deterministic Enjoying Freshening
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— Given his credentials, it might be hard to believe that multiple Grade 1-placed millionaire Soldier Rising has yet to win a graded stakes since joining the stable of trainer Christophe Clement in the summer of 2021. After coming close on several occasions, the 5-year-old son of Frankel will pursue a high-caliber victory in Saturday’s rescheduled edition of the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic going 12 furlongs at Belmont at the Big A.
Solider Rising enters from a runner-up effort in the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer on August 26 which was contested over yielding ground at Saratoga Race Course. There, he raced from last-of-6 before surging late to finish second beaten 4 1/2 lengths behind the victorious Bolshoi Ballet.
Although winless in four starts this year, Soldier Rising posted two other Grade 1 placings when second in Belmont Park’s Grade 1 Man o’ War on May 13 and the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan on June 10, both contested over firm going.
But Soldier Rising has placed in 5-of-6 Grade 1 starts, starting with his North American debut for Clement when second beaten one length to State of Rest in the 2021 Saratoga Derby Invitational. In last year’s Sword Dancer, he registered a career-high 103 Beyer Speed Figure when finishing third, just one length behind victorious stablemate Gufo.
“He’s doing very well. He finished second in three Grade 1s in New York so far this year,” noted Clement, who captured the 2010 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic with Winchester. “He keeps running well, and we’re going to keep trying with him. It’s a good race, a tough race on paper, but I think he does OK on soft ground. He should be there, and we’ll try for the best. He’s run very well on every kind of ground, so I’m not too concerned about the ground.”
Soldier Rising is owned by Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Morris Bailey, Wonder Stables and Michael J. Caruso and has banked $1,144,997 in earnings through a consistent 19-4-8-3 record. Bred in Great Britain by Dayton Investments, Solider Rising is out of the stakes-winning German-bred Pivotal mare Sahrawi.
Moyglare Stud Farm’s German-bred mare Amazing Grace has finished no worse than fourth in her five starts for Clement. The 5-year-old chestnut daughter of Protectionist was a last out third in the Grade 2 Flower Bowl on September 2 going 1 3/8 miles at Saratoga, which was won in frontrunning fashion by stablemate Parnac.
The effort followed a third-place finish in the Spa’s Grade 2 Glens Falls on August 3, where she endured a troubled trip to finish only 2 1/2 lengths behind Grade 1 winners McKulick and War Like Goddess. In her debut for Clement, Amazing Grace captured the Grade 3 Orchid on April 1 going 12 furlongs at Gulfstream Park. This followed a campaign in her native land with trainer Waldemar Hickst, which included a pair of Group 2 triumphs as well as a third-place finish behind eventual Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Rebel’s Romance in the Group 1 Preis von Europa last September.
Clement said he is leaning toward a trip to Canada with Amazing Grace, who will likely target the Grade 1, $750,000 E.P. Taylor on October 8 at Woodbine Racetrack.
“She’s a good mare and she was very unlucky last time out. She is training very well at the moment, so the E.P. Taylor makes a lot of sense,” Clement said.
Clement spoke volumes of Amazing Grace’s Flower Bowl effort.
“If anything, Amazing Grace finished the best in the race, running third,” Clement said. “If we still had Trakus and if you looked at the time, Amazing Grace would have run the fastest four furlongs.”
Clement added that his Flower Bowl victress Parnac will likely remain in New York and contest next Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Waya going 11 furlongs at Belmont at the Big A.
Debut juvenile winner Deterministic registered an 81 Beyer going seven furlongs on August 12 at Saratoga. The dark bay son of Liam’s Map is currently receiving a freshening and is slated to return to Clement’s winter division at Payson Park in South Florida where he will train for a sophomore campaign. Deterministic was a $625,000 purchase at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
“He’s having a break after winning first time out impressively. We had a small issue with him after the race, so he’ll be back this winter at Payson Park,” Clement said.
