Trainer Miguel Clement has quite the start to his training career, winning at 24 percent at the current Saratoga meet. Following the death of his father, Christophe, Miguel Clement took over the stable and continued those winning ways, especially in turf races. Clement has a trio of runners in Saturday’s Grade 2 Flower Bowl to continue that success.
The 1 3/8-mile Flower Bowl is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series as a “Win and You’re In” race for the BC Filly and Mare Turf on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
La Mehana tops Clement’s trio as the tepid 2-1 morning-line favorite. La Mehana is coming off a dominant win in the Grade 2 Glens Falls over yielding turf. That victory showed signs of life for La Mehana, who had struggled at this level since coming over from Europe. In the Glens Falls, the Clement-trained Bellezza ran second and perhaps isn’t at her best on the soggy turf. Prior to that start, Bellezza was a solid third in the Grade 1 New York, also over yielding turf. In her lone start on fast turf, Bellezza won the Grade 3 Sheepshead Bay. Even with her European form, Bellezza seems to prefer firmer ground, which she’ll likely get Saturday. Jaime Rodriguez rides Bellezza at 4-1 on the morning line.
In Time is the other Clement-trained runner, stepping up into graded-stakes company. In her career, which includes races in Europe, In Time has only failed to hit the board three times in 12 races at 1 1/8 miles or longer. Dylan Davis rides the 15-1 longshot, who has a serious chance to outrun those odds.
The biggest threat to the Clement trio is the classy Be Your Best, who’s coming off a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Beverly D. at Colonial. Be Your Best is the clear class of Saturday’s field as a Grade 1 winner with more than $1 million in earnings. Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Be Your Best, 5-2 on the morning line, should be forward under Edgard Zayas.
Marksman Queen is coming off back-to-back stakes victories for trainer Graham Motion. Marksman Queen won the Keertana at Churchill Downs in front-running fashion, then won the Grade 3 Robert G. Dick at Delaware in the same fashion. She’ll be the speed in the field under Luan Machado from the rail.
Amber Cascade, Long Ago, and Madame Mischief complete the field. Amanda’s Folly is entered for the main track only.
Saturday’s program also features the Grade 3 Prioress for 3-year-old fillies and the Grade 1 Spinaway for 2-year-old fillies.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In is an international series of 93 stakes races in15 countries whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, held this year at Del Mar on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.