By Patrycja Szpyra
Ladies first in the GI Christophe Clement Stakes.
Survie (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) had to close into a glacial pace, but roared home like they'd unleashed her at the top of the stretch, and posted a glorious win to secure an automatic berth to the GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland.
An elite runner in her European home base, the Michael Tabor colorbearer came into the Christophe Clement off a victory in the GII Glens Falls Stakes. With her Group 1 placings in France, Ireland, and Saudi Arabia, and a victory in the States, Survie now boasts Group/Grade I black type in four countries every year since her 3-year-old season.
The field broke well in a line and Ole Crazy Bone (Ghostzapper) stepped out to lead with Minaret Station (Instilled Regard) close behind in second through a pedestrian opening quarter in :26.24. Survie meanwhile had set up in last with fellow European Ancient Egypt (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) to track the action in front of them. Positions largely remained the same for most of the trip, but the pace quickened as they entered the final bend and the top two were overtaken by Program Trading (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in an outer lane as they swung for home.
While the boys dueled at the front, Survie took the widest overland route and produced an electric turn of foot that her rivals simply could not counter. She came in the easiest of winners to secure her first North American Grade I contest. Minaret Station fought back to repel Program Trading late and claim second. The 9-5 favorite Ancient Egypt came in fourth.
The final time was 2:31.55.
“She was great, wasn't she?” said trainer George Boughey, who was watching while on grounds at the ongoing Arqana Yearling Sale in France. “She had to be very good from where she was with the slow splits. She's been training for this race and it [the Glens Falls] was the perfect lead-up race into it. She showed possibly an even better turn-of-foot today.”
“For everyone back at the stable in the U.K., this is a massive milestone for us. We've been lucky enough to have two Group 1-winners for Coolmore now and to get the support of Michael and Doreen Tabor with a filly that was already a Group 2-winner in Europe is just a credit to everyone that is working very hard to produce these results.”
When asked about returning to Keeneland this fall to make good on his automatic berth, the conditioner minced no words, saying, “Yes. Very much so. The plan was always to run her twice and then bring her home and prepare her for Keeneland. I'd like to get her back and give her an easy time for a little bit–she doesn't take a huge amount of training–and then ship her out with the normal horses for the Breeders' Cup. I think she'll fly home Wednesday or Thursday this week.”
“I tried to recover [heading onto the backstretch] and ride her with patience, but when I asked her to go she just took off with me, and I was just the passenger after that,” said Manny Franco, who is currently enjoying the Saratoga meeting of his career. “The trainer told me, 'don't rush her, give her time, and come late. Ride her the way Flavien [Prat] rode her [in the Glens Falls],' so that's what I did.”
SURVIE RUNS DOWN THE BOYS!
Now 2-for-2 in the U.S., SURVIE earns her first Grade 1 victory in the Christophe Clement Turf Stakes under @jockeyfranco for trainer @gbougheyracing. pic.twitter.com/oBO1Zlv00g
— NYRA (🎪) (@TheNYRA) August 15, 2026
Pedigree Note:
Survie is the most accomplished runner for her dam, a French Listed winner and twice Group-placed in that country, who is also a half to two other mares that produced group runners. Sotteville (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) produced a winning gelding named Soligny (Fr) (Mehmas {Ire}) as well as an unplaced filly Sainte Marthe (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) since this victress. The latter is her last registered offspring.
This is the extended female family of Australian champion miler MG1SW-Aus Contributer (Ire) (High Chapaarral {Ire}).
Saturday, Saratoga
CHRISTOPHE CLEMENT TURF S.-GI, $750,000, Saratoga, 8-15, 3yo/up, 1 1/2mT, 2:31.55, yl.
1–SURVIE (IRE), 119, m, 5, by Churchill (Ire)
1st Dam: Sotteville (Fr) (SW & MGSP-Fr, $119,846),
by Le Havre (Ire)
2nd Dam: Sandsnow (Ire), by Verglas (Ire)
3rd Dam: Sandbox (Ire), by Grand Lodge
1ST GRADE I WIN. (1,900,000gns 4yo '25 TATMA). O-Michael Tabor; B-Franklin Finance S.A. (IRE); T-George Boughey; J-Manuel Franco. $412,500. Lifetime Record: GSW-Fr, GSP-Eng, G1SP-Ire, G1SP-KSA, 20-6-3-5, $1,500,565. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Minaret Station, 124, c, 4, Instilled Regard–Beau Recall (Ire), by Sir Prancealot (Ire). 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-OXO Equine LLC (KY); T-William Walden. $150,000.
3–Program Trading (GB), 124, r, 6, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Dreamlike (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB). (250,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.; B-Fittocks Stud & Arrow Farm Stud (GB); T-Chad C. Brown. $90,000.
Margins: 3/4, HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 4.48, 3.59, 3.37.
Also Ran: Ancient Egypt (Ire), Tawny Port, Ole Crazy Bone. Scratched: Fort George (GB).
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel Racing.
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