Carmouche, Clement Earn First New York Titles

Kendrick Carmouche earned his first riding title for a New York Racing Association meet, notching 23 victories to pace all jockeys for the 18-day fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack that ran from Nov. 6-Dec. 6. Christophe Clement had 16 wins to lead all trainers, and Klaravich Stables and Repole Stables each campaigned five winners to finish as co-leading owners.

Carmouche, a mainstay on the NYRA circuit, earned his first NYRA riding crown by posting a 23-18-14 record in 123 mounts, with earnings of more than $1.5 million. The soon-to-be 37-year-old compiled a slew of riding titles earlier in his career, racking up seven at Parx Racing that earned him induction into that track's Hall of Fame in 2015.

Closing weekend was a memorable one for Carmouche, who got his first grade 1 win when he piloted True Timber to a 5 1/2-length victory in the Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) Dec. 5.

"I owe it all to my fans, my wife, and kids and how much they stuck with me and kept me pushing and fighting in this game," an emotional Carmouche said after the race. "This means so much to me. This is the biggest win of my career, and I hope I have many more blessed ones."

Among Carmouche's other accomplishments this fall was a trio of stakes wins, starting with Malathaat in the Tempted Stakes Nov. 6 and aboard Never Surprised in the Central Park Stakes Nov. 28. His clinching race Sunday came aboard even-money favorite Laobanonaprayer in the $250,000 New York Stallion Stakes Series Fifth Avenue. The native of Vinton, La., started his professional career in 2000 and has more than 3,300 wins, including six grade 2 scores.

Carmouche edged Jose Lezcano (19 wins) and Joel Rosario (16) for the top spot.

"I give thanks to everyone who put a good effort into supporting me and pushed me along to win this meet. I'm very appreciative," Carmouche said. "I seized the opportunity at hand, and I'm grateful for all the trainers and owners for letting me show other people that I can win races. I'm very blessed to say that I've come to New York five years ago, and I got a title for the fall meet. I'm very pleased with myself. I'm sure my mom and dad and all my fans are just so happy for me. I'm on cloud nine right now, and I might not come down until next Thursday."

Clement, who finished with the second-most wins at the just-concluded Belmont Park fall meet, earned his first NYRA meet title, registering a 16-6-1 record with 52 starters. He edged Todd Pletcher by one win for the top spot.

The 55-year-old conditioner, who trained his first winner in 1991, added another accomplishment to a stellar career that already includes training a two-time champion in Gio Ponti  and a memorable classic win when Tonalist  thwarted California Chrome's 2014 Triple Crown bid by winning the Belmont Stakes (G1).

"It's my first one in New York, and it feels great," Clement said. "Nothing would be possible without the horses, the owners, and the staff. I'm thrilled because New York means a lot to me. It was a good meet; we've won at different levels. The maidens have been running great, and we won stakes races; the whole stable is doing well."

This meet, Clement had success with numerous maidens and stakes horses, topped by Mutamakina's win in the Long Island Stakes (G3T) Nov. 28. He also won his famous horse's stakes namesake, with City Man capturing the Gio Ponti Stakes, as well as Feel Glorious taking the Forever Together Stakes and Therapist winning the Artie Schiller Stakes.

"I consider myself a New Yorker now, so it really means something," said Clement, a native of France who now lives on Long Island.

Klaravich Stables, the leading owner on the NYRA circuit in 2019, produced another successful meet. Headed by Seth Klarman, Klaravich Stables finished as the top owner at the Belmont fall meet for the fourth consecutive time. At Aqueduct, his stable went 5-4-5 with 18 starters, finishing in the money an impressive 77.8% of the time with earnings of $325,540, bolstered by Duopoly's win in the Winter Memories Stakes.

It was the fourth consecutive meet Klaravich Stables at least shared top owner status, joining the Belmont fall, Saratoga summer, and Belmont spring/summer meets.

Repole Stable, led by Mike Repole, also won five races, compiling a 5-3-2 record with 21 starters for earnings of $320,676, garnering a share of its first meet title since the 2019 Aqueduct spring meet. Never Surprised provided Repole Stable's stakes win in the Central Park.

Thoroughbred racing continues at Aqueduct for the 56-day winter meet that begins Dec. 10 and runs through March 28. In total, 42 stakes worth $4.57 million in purses will be offered, with live racing generally conducted Thursday through Sunday until the end of February with a holiday break set for Dec. 24-27 and the addition of special Monday cards Jan. 18 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Feb. 15 for Presidents Day.