Tonalist drops blinkers for Suburban
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
ELMONT, N.Y. – After watching Tonalist lose the Jim Dandy and Travers stakes last summer at Saratoga, trainer Christophe Clement removed the blinkers from the colt’s equipment, and Tonalist responded with a 1 3/4-length victory in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, a 1 1/4-mile race at Belmont Park.
Clement will hope for a similar result in Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Suburban Handicap, in which he again removes the blinkers from Tonalist’s equipment in a 1 1/4-mile race at Belmont.
“The blinkers were to get him sharper for the Westchester and the Met Mile, and now we’re going to go farther,” Clement said. “I don’t think we need the blinkers.”
Clement also eschewed a midweek blowout for Tonalist and instead planned to give him a strong gallop, known as a two-minute lick, Thursday.
Tonalist drew post 6 in the Suburban and will face five rivals, including the Brooklyn winner, Coach Inge; recent allowance winner Mylute; the Excelsior winner, Effinex; and Street Babe.