Tonalist gets an easy tune-up

ARCADIA, Calif. – Three of the potential starters in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita worked at two different tracks Monday, with Tonalist and Cigar Street tuning up at Belmont Park, while in California, Footbridge drilled at Santa Anita.

Both Tonalist and Cigar Street worked on a fast track at Belmont Park on a cloudy morning. Footbridge worked at Santa Anita on Monday, later than originally planned because trainer Eoin Harty waited for thick, early-morning fog to finally lift.

Tonalist went five furlongs in 1:03.16, beginning at the half-mile pole, then continuing to a furlong past the wire. He went his first quarter in 24.90 seconds, hit the wire in 50.14, and went from the wire to the 1 3/8-mile pole in 13.02 under mild urging from exercise rider Lee Vickers.

Tonalist usually works in company but went solo this time “because I wanted it to be an easy work,” trainer Christophe Clement said.

“He looked great, he was very willing, easy work,” Clement said. “We’ll probably go back to a more aggressive move next week. Everything’s good. He came back in very good shape. It was very easy for him. As long as he looks well and he’s working well, we’re running. As of now, everything’s great.”

Clement said he planned two more works for Tonalist, both at Belmont Park, before traveling to Santa Anita. Joel Rosario has the mount in the Classic.

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Cigar Street, with regular exercise rider Juan Quinteros up, worked a half-mile from the half-mile pole in 47.57 seconds. Daily Racing Form had his first quarter in 23.45, his second quarter in 24.12, and had him galloping out five furlongs in 1:00.68.

“He went very well,” trainer Bill Mott said. “Rider was very impressed. He’s been working him all summer, so he thought he went well.”

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Like Tonalist, Cigar Street will have his final works in New York before heading to California. John Velazquez will ride Cigar Street in the Classic.

At Santa Anita, Footbridge worked five furlongs in 1:00.20. Footbridge went by himself with Modesto Linares aboard. No decision has been made as to whether Footbridge will run in the Classic, but if he does, Rafael Bejarano has the mount.

“He worked very well, a little faster than I would have liked, but he did it very well,” Harty said. “If he goes in the Classic, he’ll be fit and ready.”

On Sunday at Santa Anita, Tapiture worked five furlongs in 59.20 seconds. Trainer Steve Asmussen said Tapiture would be pre-entered next week in both the Classic and the BC Dirt Mile, which is run Oct. 31. Pre-entries are due Oct. 20 and are announced Oct. 22. Final entries for all 13 Breeders’ Cup races are taken, and posts drawn, on Oct. 27.

◗ In other Classic news, two riding assignments were confirmed Monday. From Britain, trainer Jamie Osborne said that Jamie Spencer, who will retire at the end of the year, will be aboard Toast of New York. Trainer Peter Miller said Elvis Trujillo would take over on Big Cazanova.

Javier Castellano will be the new rider for Moreno, trainer Eric Guillot told Santa Anita’s publicity department Sunday.

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