Tonalist works an easy five furlongs

ELMONT, N.Y. – Tonalist, looking to add the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap to an impressive résumé of graded stakes victories at Belmont Park, worked five furlongs in 1:00.95 on Friday morning at Belmont Park.

Breaking off at the half-mile pole under exercise rider Lee Vickers, Tonalist, working by himself, was clocked in fractions of 12.20 seconds, 24.37, and 48.15. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.59. It was his third breeze since winning the Grade 3 Westchester here May 2.

“The idea was to do an easy work, aggressive with Johnny [Velazquez] last week, easy today,” trainer Christophe Clement said. “I thought he worked well. Nothing spectacular, but we did not want a spectacular work. The most impressive thing for me is he came back yet again not tired whatsoever, which always amazes me.”

Tonalist, who was equipped with blinkers for the work, did cock his head to the right in the stretch, but Clement said the horse has done that before.

“The rider, the way he sits on him, makes him do that a bit more,” Clement said. “He does that and he looks at things. He’s done it before, it’s not new.”

Clement said that because of the easy nature of Friday’s breeze, he would “most probably” give Tonalist a three-furlong or half-mile blowout Wednesday or Thursday of next week.

Tonalist blew out a half-mile in 47.44 seconds three days before he won the Westchester.

The Westchester was the fourth graded stakes win for the colt at Belmont Park. He won the Belmont Stakes, Jockey Club Gold Cup, Peter Pan, and Westchester.

– additional reporting by Mike Welsch