Trainer Clement heats up at Belmont Park

Succinct talking points abound for trainer Christophe Clement, and here are just a few noteworthy facts on the talented conditioner.

By winning four races last week, Christophe Clement joined Chad Brown at the top of the Belmont Park trainer standings. Both are now tied with 17 wins, and Clement has needed 18 fewer starts (17-for-52, 33% win) to get there.

• Video race replay order:
  • Belmont, May 20, Race 9 – Community Adjusted (horse)
  • Belmont, May 21, Race 2 – Smooth Pebble
  • Belmont, May 23, Race 1 – Straw Into Gold
  • Belmont, May 23, Race 8 – Call Me Love

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Only one of his four winners (Straw Into Gold) was favored last week.

His first success came via Community Adjusted, who broke her maiden last Thursday at 14-1. Smooth Pebble followed the next day with a victory over $40,000 claiming foes at 4-1, and she wasn’t claimed. On Sunday, Straw Into Gold and Call Me Love both scored, the later at 3.45-1.

Clement finished the week at Belmont with a 10-4-1-0 record.

The 55-year-old French native did well last summer at Saratoga, finishing tied for third in the standings with 20 wins, and he's readying for another strong season in upstate New York.

He probably doesn’t receive enough credit. A trainer of champions and classic winners, Clement has won 2,127 races and accumulated stable earnings of more than $10.8 million. He’s captured multiple training titles.

And Clement has never had a medication violation.

A case can be made that Clement should be in the Hall of Fame.