Tonalist Sharp in First Drill Since Travers
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Classic winner Tonalist, heading for the Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I), turned in a bullet five-furlong breeze for trainer Christophe Clement over the Belmont Park main track the morning of Sept. 7.
In his first timed drill since finishing third in the Travers Stakes (gr. ) Aug. 23 at Saratoga Race Course, Tonalist worked in company in 1:00.12 over a wet-fast track. The breeze was the fastest of 13 at the distance.
"It was an easy work, and he was not too aggressive," Clemente said of his Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner. "We worked him in company and in blinkers, just to see the way he acted, and he had a very good work.
"I spoke with (owner) Mr. (Robert S.) Evans, and the plan is to point to the Jockey Club Gold Cup. He'll have two more works; Joel (Rosario) will be aboard for one of them, and we'll go from there."
The Jockey Club Gold Cup, at 1 1/4 miles, is Sept. 27.
Tonalist, a 3-year-old son of Tapit out of the Pleasant Colony mare Settling Mist, was bred in Kentucky by Woodslane Farm. The bay colt has won three of seven ifetime starts with two seconds and a third, good for earnings of $1,202,000. In addition to the Belmont Stakes, Tonalist won the Peter Pan Stakes (gr. II) over the track.