Miguel Clement recalls marking his childhood not by a physical measuring mark on a wall, but through the numerous winner’s circle photos displayed in his barn office. From an early age, he frequently appeared in victory pictures alongside his father, Christophe Clement, whenever the renowned French trainer’s horses triumphed in major races.
“If you look at these pictures, many of the winners in my New York office are ones I appeared in as a child,” Miguel shared. “It’s like watching myself grow up through those photos.” Many of these snapshots were taken following wins in La Prevoyante, South Florida’s prestigious turf race for mares and fillies. Initially held at Calder Race Course, this event later became part of the Gulfstream Park stakes calendar.
Christophe Clement achieved a record six victories in this race—more than any other trainer. In tribute to the respected trainer who passed away in May, the race has been renamed the Christophe Clement Stakes. The inaugural run of this renamed event will take place on Saturday during the Pegasus World Cup meet, with the Clement family presenting the trophy.
Miguel, who now manages the stable after his father’s passing, acknowledged the bittersweet emotions tied to this honor. “It’s probably a little difficult for my family, but I’m very thankful,” he said. “Having the race bear his name means a lot, and I appreciate 1/ST Racing and Gulfstream’s support.”
At 34 years old, Miguel was still a baby when Christophe secured his first La Prevoyante victory with Saldanilla in 1992. The elder Clement went on to win this race several more times, including in 1994, 1998 (twice), 2014, and 2022. “He truly loved this race,” Miguel said. “It’s only fitting that La Prevoyante now carries his name because this was one of his favorites.”
Miguel hopes to enter horses in the $175,000 Christophe Clement Stakes this Saturday, although the current candidates are either resting for winter or in light training with plans for 2026 campaigns. “It’s unfortunate we don’t have runners this year,” he explained, “but I didn’t want to alter their programs just to force an entry.”
Despite no entries in the inaugural fixture of the race named after Christophe Clement, Miguel will still be represented on the Pegasus World Cup card. He will saddle Breathaway in the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Mares Turf Invitational (G2) and Summer Cause in the $225,000 William L. McKnight Stakes (G3). These races, related to La Prevoyante’s former open division, are both contested at distances between 1 and 1½ miles.
Christophe Clement previously won the McKnight Stakes at Calder in 1995 with the horse Flag Down. For this weekend, British champion jockey Oisin Murphy will ride Breathaway on turf, while Tyler Gaffalione will ride Summer Cause.
“Breathaway has been in excellent form lately,” Miguel said, referencing her recent Dance Smartly Stakes (G2) victory at Woodbine in October. “She has performed well at Gulfstream before, so we’re cautiously optimistic.” Summer Cause is targeting the McKnight after a win in the two-mile H. Allen Jerkens Handicap at Gulfstream last December. At 6 years old, this gelding is stepping down slightly to the 1.5-mile distance.
“He prefers longer distances,” Miguel noted, “and while I’m unsure if he’s skilled enough to handle a mile and a half, the only way to know is to run him. He’s doing well, so we want to take advantage of his current form.”
This story originally appeared in the Paulick Report on January 23, 2026.
Fan Take: Honoring Christophe Clement by renaming La Prevoyante underscores the enduring legacy of one of horse racing’s great trainers and brings emotional depth to the sport’s history. For fans, it’s a reminder of how legacies enrich racing culture, while new stars like Miguel Clement carry that torch forward, connecting generations and inspiring future competition.
