Popular US trainer dies from rare cancer

Celebrated U.S.-based trainer Christophe Clement has passed away at the age of 59 after a battle with metastatic uveal melanoma, a rare form of eye cancer.

Born in Paris, Clement carved out an illustrious career in American racing, saddling over 2500 winners, including 41 at Grade 1 level, and amassing more than USD$166 million in prize money.

He honed his craft under the guidance of his father, Miguel, in Chantilly and later worked with top European trainers, including Luca Cumani, father of Matt Cumani.

Clement’s death was confirmed in a heartfelt pre-prepared statement shared on X on Monday, in which he reflected on his life and career.

“Unfortunately, if you are reading this, it means I was unable to beat my cancer. As many of you know, I have been fighting an incurable disease, metastatic uveal melanoma,” he wrote.

“As I reflect on my journey, I realise I never worked a day in my life. Every morning, I woke up and did what I loved most surrounded by so much love.”

Known for his dominance on turf, Clement trained 34 of his 41 Grade 1 winners on grass, with turf star Gio Ponti accounting for seven of those elite victories. However, his versatility was on display in 2014 when he trained Tonalist to win the Belmont Stakes, famously denying California Chrome the Triple Crown.

The Clement legacy will now be carried forward by his son and assistant, Miguel Clement, who has officially taken over operations of the stable.

“I’m truly honoured to leave Clement Stable in the capable hands of my son and long-time assistant, Miguel Clement,” Christophe wrote. “This has been an ongoing transition over the last few years. Success without a successor isn’t truly success.”