Janou Dazzles at Churchill, Registers Sixth Career Win
11/27/2011
Janou, a five-year-old mare bred in Kentucky by AmWest Chief Executive Officer Nelson Clemmens and racing for his wife, Judy Clemmens, electrified her connections with four-wide rally that resulted in a six-length win at Churchill Downs in November.
The victory marked the sixth time that Janou has visited a winner’s circle in a career that began with a win in her debut at Churchill three years ago.
Altogether, the daughter of Mutakkdim has notched four of her triumphs at the historic Louisville track, with her other wins achieved at Gulfstream and Ellis Parks.
Trained by William “Buff” Bradley, Janou has earned $110,258 to date. She was ridden in her latest Churchill victory by Jon Court, who recorded a milestone 400th career win at the track during the fall meet. Court is the 17th rider to reach that landmark at Churchill Downs.
Janou was produced the Colonial Affair mare Firm Affair. Clemmens also bred and owns Janou’s younger half sisters, a yearling by Pure Prize and a two-year-old by Horse Chestnut named Gloriana who won at Turfway Park on September 18 while also ridden by Court.
Young Homebred Fillies Find Winning Strides
11/13/2011
Two fillies bred by AmWest Chief Executive Officer Nelson Clemmens and racing in the name of his wife, Judy, recorded wins this autumn in Kentucky.
Gloriana, a two-year-old by Horse Chestnut out of the Colonial Affair mare Firm Affair, won in just her third start while validating her promise for the future.
Ridden by Jon Court in a 5 ½-furlong dash on Polytrack at Turfway Park, Gloriana bumped with Peekaboo Slew at the start but gained a good position in the middle of the nine-horse field through the first half-mile. With a strong rally between rivals, Gloriana spurted away to win by 1 ¼ lengths as the second choice, crossing the finish line in 1:07.51.
In her previous effort, Gloriana had finished third in a 5 ½-furlong race at Ellis Park. Her record currently stands at a win and a third in three career starts.
Positively Paige, a three-year-old New York-bred by Chief Seattle out of Allie’s Hope by Just a Cat, also closed from off the pace in her six-furlong win at Turfway. 
Sent off the strong favorite in the field of 12 maidens after three promising runs at Ellis Park and Turfway, Positively Paige rated close behind the early pace of :23.04 and :47.22 before surging four-wide and catching leader Go Sees. Prevailing by a half-length under jockey Victor Lebron, Positively Paige stopped the clock in 1:12.56.
Both fillies are trained by William “Buff” Bradley, who is currently based at Churchill Downs. Positively Paige worked five furlongs in 1:02.40 at Churchill on November 12 as she prepares for her next race.
Stable Runners Hot in July Racing at Ellis Park
07/10/2011
Horses bred by AmWest Chief Executive Officer Nelson Clemmens are heating up along with the July temperatures at Ellis Park.
Lady Wynne, a five-year-old mare by Regal Classic out of the Just a Cat mare Allie’s Hope, scored a determined victory in a one-mile turf event on July 10 after battling the entire trip with runner-up Bell of Buddha.
The victory marked the fourth in the career of Lady Wynne, who began racing with a triumph in her debut at three at Turfway Park in 2009 and won two races last year, one at Ellis and one at Turfway.
Lady Wynne races for Clemmens’ wife, Judy Clemmens, and is trained by William “Buff” Bradley. John McKee was in the irons for her most recent win.
Just five days after Lady Wynne’s visit to the winner’s circle, her half sister Positively Paige rallied from just off the pace to gain a lead in the stretch of a 5 ½-furlong dash on the Ellis turf only to be caught in the final stride by Dazzle Her, who prevailed by whiskers. Positively Paige is a three-year-old by Chief Seattle, who, like Lady Wynne, was bred in New York.
With AmWest headquartered in Prospect, Kentucky, Clemmens is a firm supporter of Kentucky racing and was delighted to greet his friend, Ellis Park owner and president Ron Geary, in the winner’s circle after Lady Wynne’s effort.
Demure Halo Shines in Churchill Downs Victory
06/26/2011
Boldly rallying between rivals under a confident ride from Corey Lanerie, Demure Halo notched the first win of her career on June 26 in a seven-furlong maiden race at Churchill Downs.
Owned by AmWest Chief Executive Officer Nelson Clemmens, Demure Halo gave Lanerie his 40th winner of the Churchill meet while marking the 14th win of the season for trainer Eddie Kenneally. .JPG "Demure Halo cruisies to the finish under Corey Lanerie (Reed Palmer photo)")
After breaking from post two, Demure Halo rated kindly off the early pace set by Fleet Classic, who faced keen pressure from favored Inazuma. That duo sped through the first half-mile in fractions of :22.93 and :46.92 before beginning to tire from their efforts.
Looming just behind the leaders as they stretched out across the track for the final furlongs, Demure Halo and Lanerie waited for an opening before bursting through to gain the lead. The three-year-old daughter of Quiet American out of six-time stakes winner Mocita, by Boundary, “quickly cleared” her eight rivals, according to the official chart of the race.
Demure Halo crossed the finish line in 1:24.30 for the seven furlongs on a fast track and finished three lengths in front of runner-up Magik, with Pure Victory another two lengths back in third.
Bred by Silverleaf Farms in Florida, Demure Halo is the first foal out of Mocita, who this year produced a filly by Bluegrass Cat.
A Bon Vivant Beginning for Stone Spire III
06/25/2011
A very promising group of juveniles aimed at racing this year for Stone Spire III, a partnership formed by AmWest Chief Executive Officer Nelson Clemmens, was led to the starting gate on June 25 by Marco’s Bon Vivant, a handsome chestnut colt by Hard Spun.
After drawing the outside post in a field of 11 and waiting while several of the two-year-olds in the $58,490 maiden special weight event on grass acted up behind the starting gate, Marco’s Bon Vivant broke a step slowly. Jockey Jaime Theriot let the colt settle in the early running as Black Rhino zipped to the early lead through fractions of :22.52 and :45.74 on a course rated firm.
Marco’s Bon Vivant found his best stride as the field went around the far turn and he raced down the stretch in traffic before galloping out ahead of all his rivals. The effort pleased Theriot, who said the colt would improve for the experience, and trainer William “Buff” Bradley.
Black Rhino, one of three in the field who had previously raced, won and Marco’s Bon Vivant finished sixth. Time for the five furlongs was :57.80.
Bradley said he expected Marco’s Bon Vivant, who emerged from the race in good order, to make his next start during the Ellis Park meeting that begins on July 2.
Produced by the multiple stakes winning Star de Naskra mare Staraway, an earner of $464,735, Marco’s Bon Vivant is a half brother to Sander Camillo, who won the Cherry Hinton (G2) and Albany (G3) Stakes in England. Originally sold as a two-year-old for $500,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Calder sale, Sander Camillo was sold at the 2007 Tattersalls December sale for approximately $6.9-million.