Clement Reflects on Tonalist's Belmont Win
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It's been a year since Tonalist won the Belmont Stakes (gr. I), denying California Chrome a Triple Crown, and the son of Tapit will once again be running on the Belmont card, but this time as one of the top choices in the $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I).
The 4-year-old trained by Christophe Clement is coming off a victory in the Westchester Stakes (gr. III) over the same distance and track as the Met Mile, a win that showed he was refreshed after taking the winter off.
Clement, who noted that Tonalist now is a perfect 4-for-4 at Belmont Park, including a victory in the Peter Pan (gr. II) previous to the Belmont, eschews the notion that the 2014 Belmont was an upset.
"I was lucky to have a great horse who trained very well and won the Peter Pan," Clement said the morning of May 31. "He trained as good as any horse could train going into the Belmont. We knew he was going to run well and he ran a very nice race and he won.
"I would not call it an upset. (California Chrome) ran (in a dead heat for) fourth. If he had run second, you might call it an upset, but I don't think it was an upset."
Following his Belmont victory, Tonalist won the Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I), finished second in the Jim Dandy (gr. II), third in the Travers Stakes (gr. I), and fifth in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) before his break from competition.
"He got beat in the Jim Dandy and Travers, but they were very good races," Clement said. "Even though he finished fifth in the Breeders' Cup Classic, I thought he ran a nice race. Maybe he was given a lot to do by his rider that day.
"He had a complete break over the winter and he came back as good as ever when he won the Westchester, which was a very good prep for the Met Mile."
With no horse in this year's Belmont, in which American Pharoah will be trying to sweep the Triple Crown, Clement said, "it would be great to have a Triple Crown winner. No matter what, if that happens or if that does not happen, it is going be strong advertising for racing at the moment.
"American Pharoah has been very, very impressive. I think it's great for racing."
Tonalist is one of three horses Clement is preparing for Belmont stakes over the May 5-6 weekend. The 5-year-old mare Discreet Marq, who worked five furlongs in 1:03.65 over the Belmont main track May 30, is scheduled to go in the $700,000 Longines Just A Game (gr. IT) on grass.
"She (Discreet Marq) won't like it too soft, so we'll have to keep an eye on the weather, but it's exciting. She worked yesterday on the dirt, just a normal maintenance work," Clement said.
He will also be represented by Summation Time, a 4-year-old son of In Summation who will be facing stakes competition for the first time in the Jaipur Stakes (gr. III).
"Summation Time is doing very well. It's a bit of an ambitious spot, but he's in good order so far," said Clement.