Trainer Reflects on Father’s Passing and First Grade 1 Victory at Saratoga

To celebrate a year of racing on the New York Racing Association (NYRA) circuit, the NYRA Press Office checked in with a selection of trainers, owners, jockeys and racing personalities to share their reflections.

In June, trainer Miguel Clement earned his first Grade 1 victory a short time after the untimely passing of his father Christophe, the winner of more than 2,500 races and $184 million in purses. In the months since, the Clement family has supported each other to carry on with Miguel at the helm.

The 34-year-old trainer reflected on his first Grade 1 win, and stressed the importance of family, both personally and professionally. 

NYRA’s interview with Clement has been edited for length.

Q: Your first stakes victory came this summer at Saratoga with Deterministic in the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan, a race your father won three times with Forbidden Apple [2001], Gio Ponti [2009] and Winchester [2010]. What do you remember most about that experience?

Miguel Clement: Without a doubt, the Manhattan was meaningful as the stable’s first Grade 1 win, and Dad always loved that race. To get a big victory like that right after Dad [passed], it was tough emotionally, but it was needed.

There’s nothing like winning a big race at Saratoga. His three victories this year I think are enough to be considered for the Eclipse Award, but I am biased.

Q: As you reflect on this year, what are some other key milestones you and the team are proudest of?

MC: As everyone knows, it’s been a very challenging year. Dad played a big role in all our lives and had a larger-than-life personality. He is greatly missed, and fortunately the horses are running well, so they are a much-needed distraction. I thought we had a very strong season, and it’s really great they are running well. The stable needed it, the family needed it. The horses did more than their fair share.

Q: What role does family play in the stable’s success?

MC: My wife was there for me through all of it. My sister and my mom sacrificed everything to try to find Dad a cure, and my mother tried her best to be there at Saratoga this summer as many days as she could to show support for the stable. My sister redirected much of her work towards working on the finances of the stable so I could focus as much as I could on the horses. In that regard, my wife did the same.

My family is a very big deal, maybe more so for me than any other outfit. They protect me, they help me, and they don’t get any recognition. The family put me in this position and they support me. A lot of the outreach and affection went towards me and not them, but it hit them as bad as me. So much of the credit goes to them.

Q: What are some lessons or pieces of advice from your father that have stuck with you?

MC: That it’s a very humbling game. You try to be as consistent as possible, which is tough in this profession because you deal with so many ups and downs and a lot of volatility. You just try to work as hard as possible. If you have a strong work ethic, that takes care of a lot of it.