Barn Tour: Clement on what's next for Pizza Bianca, other stars
Christophe Clement has been on a bit of a roll. He won his first Breeders' Cup race with Pizza Bianca in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and then was nominated to the National Museum of Racing’s 2022 Hall of Fame.
For now, he's at Payson Park in South Florida, bringing the filly and others in his stable up to speed for their 2022 campaigns.
"You heal a lot of things with time," he said
Clement spoke to Horse Racing Nation Tuesday about Pizza Bianca and other top horses we can expect to see on the track soon.
Pizza Bianca. Before her Breeders' Cup win, she broke her maiden on first effort in July at Saratoga and then was second in the Natalma (G1) at Woodbine in September.
"She's doing great," Clement said. "She's at Payson Park, she's in full work. Going to bring her back – we have the choice of two races, the Appalachian at Keeneland or a stakes in the latter part of April at Aqueduct. And at the moment the plan will be to go to New York and run her at Aqueduct. Reason being we don't have to ship her twice. But I'm very excited, the works have been good and when you're ready to compete at that level, it's very exciting."
The Appalachian (G2) is April 9 at one mile on the turf. The stakes Clement is considering at Aqueduct is the Memories of Silver on April 24, at 1 1/16 miles on turf.
Senbei. This 3-year-old Candy Ride colt went 4-1 record in five starts last year – all for New York-breds. "Senbei's doing very well, he's in full work, he's at Payson Park in my barn. He's working. I expect him to be close to a race by the later part of April. We probably will be looking for an allowance race to bring him back."
Derrynane. The 3-year-old Quality Road was 2-for-2 last year and finished fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint last out. "Derrynane is in full work. She's doing well, going to bring her back in a stakes at Keeneland," the Limestone at 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf with Joel Rosario on board.
Plum Ali. The 4-year-old daughter of First Samurai was winless in six starts last year before scoring in the black-type Winter Memories at Aqueduct. She also has been working at Payson Park after a break and will make her next start in the Plenty of Grace, a one-mile turf race at Aqueduct.
Gufo. Now 5 years old, he was in the money for all 13 of his career starts before finishing 10th in the Breeders' Cup Turf in November. Clement said he will start in Saturday's Pan American (G2) at Gulfstream, at 1 1/2 miles on the turf. "We were going to bring him back in the Man o' War in New York (at Belmont on May 14). But he is doing so well, I just might as well run him now, six weeks before the Man o' War. I don't have him 100 percent, but I have him fit enough to run. He's really, really doing great. So he looks good, and let's go run him on Saturday with Rosario and then we can go from there to the Man o' War."
Beautiful Lover. The 6-year-old mare will have her next and last start in the Orchid (G3) at Gulfstream on Saturday and then will be retired as a broodmare, Clement said.
Asked about up-and-comers in his barn, Clement said, "I'm running a filly called Shad Nation this coming Saturday in a stakes called the Sanibel Island, at Gulfstream with Irad Ortiz. She's doing well, nice filly in the making." The 3-year-old by Cairo Prince broke her maiden on debut at Belmont in October then finished fifth in a listed stakes in November, her last start.