Honored horse trainer Christophe Clement died on May 24, 2025, at the age of 59, after a courageous fight with cancer. His passing has left a void in the horse racing community. Clement, who was born in Paris, France, built an impressive career in the United States, racking up more than 2,500 wins and earning around $184,119,069. He gained quite the reputation for being excellent in both turf and dirt racing.
On X, DRF correspondent David Grening reported: “Very sad news. Christophe Clement has passed due to cancer. He was 59.” For sure, he was such a talented guy in the industry! You know, one of Clement’s biggest wins was back in 2014 when he trained Tonalist to take the Belmont Stakes, which was a real blow to California Chrome’s hopes for the Triple Crown.
Clement shared his excitement about this achievement, saying, “It’s a great win, it’s great for the team, for the staff, for the owner, Mr. Evans, who believed in us. I’m absolutely thrilled. It’s wonderful. He trained great, he looked great before the race. I’m absolutely delighted that he won. I wasn’t sure he won. We actually thought he finished second, but we got lucky, he won. It was great.”
The 2014 Belmont Stakes took place on June 7 at Belmont Park, and it was a race everyone was buzzing about since California Chrome was looking to be the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed back in 1978. After winning both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, California Chrome was the top pick heading into the Belmont. But the race turned out to be quite different.
Very sad news. Christophe Clement has passed due to cancer. He was 59.
— David Grening (@DRFGrening) May 25, 2025
Tonalist, who was trained by Christophe Clement and had Joel Rosario in the saddle, made a perfectly timed move to just get past Commissioner by a head, wrapping up the race in 2:28.52. Even with that win, Clement remained humble and gave a shout-out to horse owner Robert Evans for believing in him with Tonalist. So, when someone asked, “Did you ever think you’d win the Belmont Stakes when you were growing up in France?” He replied with a bit of humility, saying, “I’m not sure, but I was hoping to win some big races.”
Clement’s legacy lives on in the champions he trained and the significant mark he left on the world of horse racing. His unexpected passing really brought the community together quickly.
The horse racing community is deeply saddened by this news
Christophe Clement was truly one of a kind. He was so much more than just his achievements in horse racing, and a lot of fans are going to miss him. One fan even wrote, “RIP Too Young!” In the same vein, this fan expressed their sympathy by saying, “Prayers and love to his family.. He was an excellent horse trainer. He always had nothing but kind words to say to myself and Jimmy.. He will be sorely missed.” Clement was in a league of his own, and this fan said, “Oh no! A true credit to the Sport of Kings. Deepest sympathies to his loved ones.”
Clement had quite an impressive training career, where he developed a bunch of champion horses, really highlighting his amazing skills and dedication to the sport. Besides Tonalist, Gio Ponti really shines as Clement’s most famous student. With his guidance, Gio Ponti racked up seven Grade 1 wins from 2009 to 2011, including consecutive victories in the Man o’ War Stakes and the Shadwell Turf Mile. He had some amazing performances that got him three Eclipse Awards: American Champion Male Turf Horse in both 2009 and 2010, plus American Champion Older Male Horse in 2009.
He really left behind a legacy of training horses to greatness! As he reflected on his victories and expressed his sorrow, this fan shared, “Deepest condolences for a FINE GENT. Never forget him winning ’05 Canadian International or ’14 Belmont with Tonalist. Cashed on Tonalist, thanked Clement for that last summer at SAR and he was as convivial as could be. Huge loss for NY racing and the sport itself.” Another fan shared, “Incredibly sad. My condolences to his family and friends.”
Clement’s legacy isn’t just about the champions he brought to life; it’s also about his steadfast dedication to excellence and integrity in the world of horse racing. May his soul rest in peace.
The post “Rip”: Cancer Robs Horse Community of Former Belmont Stakes Winning Trainer at 59 appeared first on EssentiallySports.