Clement Trio Looms Large in La Prevoyante

By Jerry Bossert



Christophe Clement is enjoying the best year of his career since going out on his own in 1991 with almost $9 million in purse earnings, including a first victory in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) when Tonalist took the final jewel of the Triple Crown.



Clement will look to keep the good times going Dec. 27 at Gulfstream Park when he saddles three horses in the $100,000 La Prevoyante Handicap (gr. IIIT)—Tabreed, Maximova, and Irish Mission. They are part of a 14-horse field for the 1 1/2-mile turf event for fillies and mares, one of three graded stakes on Saturday's Gulfstream program.



Irish Mission is the starting highweight, carrying 120 pounds and jockey John Velazquez.



In her last start, Irish Mission finished last of 11 in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT) Nov. 1, beaten 6 1/4 lengths by Dayatthespa at Santa Anita Park. Prior to that effort, she finished third in the $300,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes (gr. IT) at Santa Anita Sept. 27.



Her lone victory of 2014 came in the start before, the $150,000 Glens Falls Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 31. The 5-year-old daughter of Giant's Causeway   won five of 27 career starts and was named Canada's 2012 Sovereign Award winner for champion turf female and champion 3-year-old filly.



She will break from post 12 in the 14-horse field.



Tabreed was assigned 115 pounds breaking from the rail under Joe Bravo, looking for her first win of the year after dropping her first four decisions of 2014. In her most recent start, Tabreed finished fifth in the $200,000 Long Island Handicap (gr. IIIT) from Aqueduct Racetrack Nov. 8.



Clement's final entrant, Maximova, shoulders 116 pounds and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., after finishing third in the Long Island. The 4-year-old filly will break from post 4.



Always Kitten and Julie's Love will each carry 117 pounds in the La Prevoyante.



Just like Irish Mission, Always Kitten has won just one of seven starts in 2014, with that victory coming in the Jersey Lilly Stake at Sam Houston Race Park March 1. Since then the 4-year-old filly by Kitten's Joy   has lost her past five starts but gets a jockey switch to Javier Castellano, the leading rider at Gulfstream Park during the past three years.



Julie's Love is winless from four starts in 2014 and has won five of 28 career starts. She last found the winner's circle May 1 of last year when she took the Owsley Stakes at Belmont Park.



Since then the Graham Motion-trained 6-year-old has dropped seven straight decisions, finishing third in the $184,886 Maple Leaf Stakes (Can-IIIT) at Woodbine Nov. 1.

Motion also entered Irish import Photo Call, a 3 1/2-length winner over first-level allowance foes at Keeneland in her United States debut, and Auld Alliance, most recently seventh in the Long Island.