Belmont Stakes workout report: Tonalist visually impressive

ELMONT, N.Y. – Wednesday morning was a quiet one at Belmont Park and a good time to get reacquainted with some old friends from the Kentucky Derby trail, as well as a couple of new faces in this year’s Belmont Stakes mix.

California Chrome and Tonalist were the first of the five potential Belmont starters to gallop over the main track between 6 and 7:15 a.m. Wednesday. They were followed by Ride On Curlin, Social Inclusion – whose Belmont status remains uncertain – and Wicked Strong. Those five are likely to be the top choices, if they all start, in the June 7 Belmont Stakes.

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California Chrome and Tonalist, who many believe to be the leading candidate to become the latest Triple Crown spoiler, crossed paths on a couple of occasions during a routine morning for both.

Peter Pan winner Tonalist was the first of the pair to begin galloping after jogging the wrong way to the mile pole, and was the strongest of all the Belmont Stakes candidates. Traveling at just a little slower than a two-minute clip, he looked very good as he powered his way down the stretch and back around into the clubhouse bend, and seems to give every indication he has bounced out of Sunday’s five-furlong work in good order.

California Chrome got a good look at Tonalist motoring by as he stood quietly at the 4 1/2-furlong pole awaiting instructions to begin his gallop from exercise rider Willie Delgado. As was the case when I last watched him train at Churchill Downs prior to his impressive victory in the Derby, California Chrome moved a little stiffly at the jog and was not a real bundle of energy when he broke off to begin his journey around the 1 1/2-mile Belmont oval. But as was also the case in Louisville, he seemed to become more fluid and eager to pick up the pace as he galloped through the stretch and past the finish line the second time with his head cocked outward under Delgado as he completed his two-mile gallop.[bc_video_id:325538:]

“I usually just sit on him and keep the same hold when he starts to pull,” said Delgado. “But today, I had to reach a couple of times and tell him to slow it down all the way around the turn. And he pulled up not blowing out a match today. It’s showing me he’s finally starting to get hold of this track.

“He didn’t really like that track at Churchill Downs. He never trained as well as we wanted him to right before the Derby. Here, I have to cock his head to slow him down. If I keep his head straight, he’s just going to roll. I didn’t have to do that once at Churchill Downs prior to the Derby.”

After zipping through his second mile at much faster than a two-minute clip on Tuesday, Ride On Curlin toned things down significantly on Wednesday, but made another solid appearance. Ride On Curlin was a bundle of energy on a regular basis in the weeks leading up to the Kentucky Derby, and he seems to be maintaining that energy level despite having competed in the first two legs of the Triple Crown.

Social Inclusion turned in a strong gallop on Wednesday, although he did lose focus briefly approaching the wire when switching to his left lead and then again back to his right shortly past the finish line. Trainer Manny Azpurua said he believed Social Inclusion was vastly improved compared with his first trip over the track Tuesday morning.

Wicked Strong, the Wood Memorial winner, was another who really wanted to pick up the pace the farther he went, and was a real handful for his rider once passing the wire and especially galloping around the clubhouse turn. He is clearly much more focused training over his home track than when he first arrived at Churchill Downs prior to the Derby.