Saturday is the Grade 1, $750,000 Christophe Clement Turf Stakes at Saratoga. The 1 1/2-mile race was previously known as the Sword Dancer Invitational.
Here is a brief look at the compact, but competitive field for Saturday’s contest:
1. ANCIENT EGYPT [ML 5-2] Jockey: David Egan. Trainer: Charlie Johnston. Makes his first start in America after a 2nd-place finish in the Grand Prix de Paris (G1) at prestigious Longchamp in France, where the 3-year-old raced the 12-furlong distance of the Clement. His other six races were in Great Britain, including another narrow defeat in the King Edward VII (G2) at the Royal Ascot meeting in June.
2. TAWNY PORT [ML 15-1] Jockey: Kendrick Carmouche. Trainer: Miguel Clement. The most experienced horse in the field and the leading money winner. The 7-year-old is trained by Christophe Clement’s son, who took over the barn upon his father’s death last year. Last seen he won the Belmont Gold Cup (G2) in June by more than two lengths going two miles at Saratoga. Ran 2nd in a pair of rich races at Kentucky Downs last year.
3. OLE CRAZY BONE [ML 4-1] Jockey: TBA. Trainer: Mike Maker. He hit the board in eight of his last nine races, with four victories and three 2nd-place finishes by less than a length. His eight career wins top this field and include the Bowling Green (G2) at Saratoga in July over two of the other horses in the Clement field. He won the Turf Cup (G2) at Kentucky Downs last year. Irad Ortiz originally had the mount but due to injury he will not be in the irons.
4. PROGRAM TRADING [ML7-2] Jockey: Flavien Prat. Trainer: Chad Brown. The only Grade 1 winner in the Clement field, having won the Turf Classic at Churchill in 2025. He has won his last two starts, the Monmouth Stakes and the United Nations (G2), which he won by almost three lengths. Brown has won this race three times.
5. FORT GEORGE [ML 9-2] Jockey: Kieran Shoemark. Trainer: Ed Walker. Made his first start in the U.S. in July at Saratoga, finishing a nose behind OLE CRAZY BONE in the Bowling Green. He was in Saratoga training before that 2nd-place finish and stayed there to prepare for this race. He has made four starts at Meydan Racecourse this year, with a win in the Dubai Millenium (G3) in January.
6. MINARET STATION [ML 6-1] Jockey: Jose Ortiz. Trainer: William Walden. Won three races in a row in 2024 and 2025 when he moved from a Maiden to the Bourbon Stakes (G2) at Keeneland and then the American Derby at Churchill. This year he is winless but was 4th in the Open Verse and 2nd in the Arlington (G3) under the Twin Spires, and last month at Saratoga he was a close 3rd in the Bowling Green.
7. SURVIE [ML 6-1] Jockey: Manny Franco. Trainer: George Boughey. She made her only American start at Saratoga two weeks ago when she won the Glens Falls (G2) by almost two lengths as the 2-1 favorite. Her European record is filled with top three finishes in Group 1 races in France, Saudi Arabia and England. Red-hot rider Franco gets the mount with the exit of Prat.
The Christophe Clement Turf Stakes is slated as race 9 on a card of 12 with a scheduled Post Time of 5:06.
Best of luck however you play it.
