America’s Finest Race has launched a month-to-month sequence to have fun ladies in races, discover the challenges confronted in a male-dominated business, and spotlight achievements.
Viewers watching any of the broadcasts produced by the New York Racing Affiliation for Fox ought to conflict with Acacia Clement’s experience, confidence and vibrant persona. They by no means imagined she was as soon as a shy little one.
However she was. It hurts.
Her look as a prime 15 end at Miss Connecticut in 2009, Miss Connecticut in 2014, as a prime 15 end on the Miss America competitors modified her.
“I actually imagine within the pageant that helped me get out of my shell and make me public speaker,” Clement mentioned. “It laid the inspiration for lots of what I do as a career proper now, and it helped me get by means of the concern and pressure of being in entrance of individuals and on digicam.”
Her analysis into ballet has been round since she was three years outdated. For a very long time, her dream was to carry out on the highest stage. She appeared on the course to do it when she studied at Joffrey Ballet and the American Ballet Theatre.
“The world of ballet is one thing I cherished so deeply, and it has given me a lot through the years,” Clement mentioned. “It teaches me loads in regards to the issues that effort and persistence might be executed.”
Nonetheless, as she grew bodily and emotionally, she started to doubt whether or not she was destined to be a ballerina. She reached 5’9″ tall – that was an issue.
“It will be tough for me so long as I discover a associate,” she defined.
The Connecticut native started taking a look at alternate options when he enrolled at Fordham College. She inherited the eagerness for horses of her mom Shelley Courtney, a talented horse girl. Acacia realized to experience at a younger age, and competed in hunter jumpers and dressage occasions.
Lastly, she advised her mom, “I’ve to discover a path to a horse racing profession.”
It was arduous for Shelley to hear. The concept her daughter would by no means dance once more after reaching such excessive ranges was tough to soak up.
“After we made that call, it was just like the dying of our household as a result of she’s been part of our lives since she was three years outdated,” Shelley mentioned.
Clement determined to main in communications at Fordham, however that was a coincidence. She was in the end in a position to see the trail that mixed horse love and data with renewed confidence in entrance of the digicam and crowd.
After graduating from Fordham, she obtained her first main alternative when Mike Penna added her to the Horse Racing Radio Community crew for the 2015 Kentucky Derby.
Gulfstream Park employed her to reinforce programming a 12 months later. She has performed a wide range of roles for the New York Racing Affiliation since 2019. She is a paddock analyst at Saratoga Reside on the prestigious summer time competitors on the Saratoga race course. She additionally served as a number and analyst within the race on America Day.
Saratoga racers discover her insights notably helpful as they handicapped the afternoon playing cards. “She has nice eyes,” mentioned Eric Donovan, senior director of Neela’s tv. “Maggie Wolfendale units that customary and Acacia is along with her.”
Whether or not it is a ballet or a pageant, Clement realized the significance of preparation. That is very helpful to her now.
“It takes time to be paddock reporter, as a result of it is a familiarity with horses. I hold a wealth of notes on each horse so you’ll be able to see if there is a massive distinction from final time to at this time. “I do plenty of analysis that day.”
Ultimately, the horse is crammed day by day. She married Miguel Clement in March 2022. He was an assistant to his father, Christophe.
Acacia is most proud to determine a race for the house. This focuses on retraining thoroughbreds who can now not race and might now not discover a new dwelling for them. She has dealt with the tip of administration since beginning the group in 2010.
Shelley practices overseeing day by day care on her farm in Summers, Connecticut. Her father, Brian, is a lawyer who does not hesitate to leap into the meals stalls once they want grooming.
The lace for the house is licensed by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. “We’re not as massive as among the different organizations,” Clement mentioned.
All of it has a deliberate contact as Clement appears to be like again at her younger however extremely full life.
“There’s an fascinating approach of working within the universe,” she mentioned. “It will definitely pulled me again to the horse. I am very grateful.”
