Go Go Boots Prepares for U.S. Debut for Flay, Clement

The $500,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes (G2T) will be an entirely new experience for Go Go Boots (GB), but it's one she will be prepared for. Making her debut in the United States after five starts in England, trainer Miguel Clement has painstakingly checked every small detail he can think of off the list so that the 3-year-old Night of Thunder (IRE) filly will be ready to fire her best shot when she exits the Saratoga Race Course starting gate Aug. 9. "If you want to win at the highest level, you have to worry about these details," Clement said. "If you want to prevent the mistakes and all that—I've got the most phenomenal team I think I've had—you just have to be on top of it all the time. There's no room for mistakes every time; everything has to be perfect." Of course, Go Go Boots can't exit the starting gate without first loading into it, and that was the focus of her lesson Aug. 6. Compared to the gates she encountered in England, American starting gates tend to be a bit tighter and, potentially, more claustrophobic for some horses. Additionally, in England, the gate attendant who leads the horse into the starting gate will duck beneath the door and exit, unlike in America, where they stay on the left of the stall with the horse to keep them settled and focused on the break. "The gates in the States are a bit more daunting compared to Europe," Clement said. "They're not used to someone being in there. It's a new experience for them; they need to learn." However, it wasn't just her own attendant that Clement was concerned about getting the chestnut filly accustomed to when she entered the gate on the Oklahoma Training Track Wednesday morning, but having an attendant on her right in the neighboring stall since she will break from post 3 with horses on her outside. "She needs to see that in the morning," Clement said. "When they first climbed up, the first 30 seconds, she freaks like, 'What are you doing coming up?' Then she stood better and was chill." Go Go Boots continued to stand well as a stablemate, Loveontheleftbank, was loaded inside of her. After a few moments, the gates opened. Go Go Boots popped out well, shifting in toward the open space created from outbreaking her stablemate by about a length. Overall, the lesson pleased Clement. "I wish she was a little more straight, but that's the filly breaking so quick," Clement said. "She's well behaved, she's used to the people climbing on both sides. She stood very well, which was the most important part, and she came out well." Other training leading into the Saratoga Oaks has included schooling in the paddock and training alongside a pony every morning to get her acclimated to all steps of the American pre-race festivities. It appears they are tests she's aced. "She's great with the pony, we've got her adjusted to the pony," Clement said. "She's been to the paddock a few times; she's stress-free there." Luckily, the filly is already well acclimated to the presence of a crowd thanks to her appearances in some of England's most prestigious racing events. Her last two starts took place in the Epsom Oaks (G1), England's premier race for sophomore fillies, and the Ribblesdale Stakes (G2) during the Royal Ascot meet. The filly finished last of seven in the Epsom Oaks but rebounded to finish fourth in the Ribblesdale. Previously, she had won her first two career starts at Lingfield Park on polytrack and was third on turf in the Musidora Stakes (G3) at York Racecourse. Listed as the 7-2 third choice on the morning line, Clement said he's not sure exactly how that form will transfer to the competition she will face on Saturday. Likewise, the 1 3/16-mile distance will be a cutback after four consecutive starts between 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 miles. However, Saturday's small field and previous experience against England's top fillies could set up a golden opportunity to earn a first graded win. That reason is what led owner Bobby Flay, an American celebrity chef, to fly the filly across the pond for a start in America. "She's a very chill filly in terms of her attitude," Flay said. "I thought she would travel well. She was running with the best fillies in the U.K., so I think she can really be competitive here." Bred in Great Britain by Highclere Stud and Mrs. Michelle Morris, the filly caught Flay's attention while he watched workouts of juveniles on offer at the 2024 Arqana May 2-Year-Old Breeze Up Sale. He purchased her out of the Malcolm Bastard consignment for $247,740. "I'm a big fan of her sire, Night of Thunder," Flay said. "I bought her online—literally at home drinking a bottle of rosé—which is not my style. I usually have somebody else pick out horses for me. She's striking to look at. She caught my eye, and then I vetted her and bought her." Speaking with the Gosdens following her Royal Ascot appearance, they agreed Go Go Boots could find success in the U.S., where she will likely remain for at least the remainder of 2025. Clement was a natural pick for Flay when it came to a trainer in America, given his long-time relationship with Clement's father, Christophe, who died in May. The pair had teamed up to win several big races, including the 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) with Pizza Bianca. That relationship has transferred to Miguel Clement, who has carried the Clement banner high with two grade 1 and two grade 2 victories already on the Saratoga grass this calendar year. Additionally, Clement holds a wealth of knowledge in global training, not just by learning from his father, but by working in England with trainer Hugo Palmer and South Africa with Mike de Kock. Clement is also a graduate of the Godolphin Flying Start program. "This barn has a propensity for high-end grass winners, so it made perfect sense to me," Flay said. That loyalty from his client base is something Clement deeply cherishes, stating that he was proud to train for a group of owners who have stuck by him and his dad through thick and thin. That loyalty also drives Clement to push forward, cover the small details, and ensure top results for the outfits he represents every single day. "You win a big race, that's great, but that big race winner you had does not impact the following day how that horse is going to train or run," Clement said. "The great thing is when you have a bad day, you start back from scratch. When you have a great day, you're right back at it again. Whatever you did on Saturday does not help you for Sunday."