Tonalist's Shape Breezes for Hollywood Wildcat Start

Grade 2 winner Tonalist's Shape prepped for her upcoming start in the $75,000 Hollywood Wildcat Stakes with a half-mile breeze May 10 at Gulfstream Park.

A winner in five of six starts—the past five for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.—Tonalist's Shape worked four furlongs in :48.12 on a fast main track, the fourth-fastest work of 32 at the distance. The chestnut daughter of Tonalist  is one of eight sophomore fillies entered in Gulfstream's 1 1/16-mile feature May 15.

"She worked well. She sat inside of a horse that went a half in :48, and she galloped out in 1:01 and two (fifths of a second). I was happy with how she worked, and all seems ready to go," Joseph said.

Tonalist's Shape's lone loss came in her most recent start, the March 28 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2), in which she finished seventh. She began her 3-year-old season with victories in the Forward Gal (G3) and Davona Dale (G2) stakes. Joseph said the filly owned by Slam Dunk Racing, Doug Branham, and Legacy Ranch has remained in good shape since her previous start.

"She had a wide trip, and it's hard to get across in that first turn if you don't have speed. On Trakus, she ran 80 feet more than the winner; that's like eight lengths right there," he said. "I think when all is said and done, you just have to throw out that race. Hopefully, we regroup on Friday and get to see the Tonalist's Shape that we're accustomed to seeing win."

Tonalist's Shape is sixth on the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) leaderboard with 60 points.

Joseph is also working on a comeback spot for March 21 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) runner-up Ny Traffic. The Cross Traffic  colt owned by John Fanelli, Cash is King, LC Racing, and Paul Braverman breezed five furlongs in 1:00.35 Sunday at Gulfstream. 

Ny Traffic was third after setting the pace in the second division of the Feb. 15 Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2), his graded stakes debut, at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

"We haven't really picked a race. After the Fair Grounds, we decided we wanted to give him a break. We thought we had enough points where we could be able to give him a break, but now we're starting him back up. That was his stiffest work today so far."

Joseph said the May 23 Matt Winn Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs is a possibility with limited spots to run, but connections will play it by ear.

Ny Traffic is 12th on the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) leaderboard with 50 points.

Grade 1 winner Math Wizard also breezed Sunday at Gulfstream for Joseph. The 4-year-old Algorithms  colt missed a scheduled start in the March 28 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) at Meydan after the card was canceled six days out because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He worked a half-mile in :49.02.

"He's doing well. He went to Dubai, made the trip, and didn't get to run. He came back from Dubai and we gave him a little time," Joseph said. "We started him back up, and that was his third work. We'll probably run him at Gulfstream. He'll probably start back up in an allowance race."

Math Wizard, the winner of the 2019 Pennsylvania Derby (G1), is campaigned by Fanelli, Khalid Mishref, Cash is King, LC Racing, Collarmele Vitelli Stables, Ioannis Zoumas, and Bassett Stables.