Tonalist's Shape stays unbeaten with Forward Gal win

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Tonalist’s Shape stayed unbeaten Saturday, continuing a march that her connections hope will take her to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Oaks.

Always in an ideal striking position under Irad Ortiz Jr., Tonalist’s Shape drew clear in the final furlong to post a 3 3/4-length victory in the 39th running of the Grade 3, $150,000 Forward Gal, the first of five stakes for 3-year-olds Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

“I got a perfect trip,” said Ortiz.

A prohibitive favorite in a field of six fillies, Tonalist’s Shape paid $2.60 after finishing seven furlongs in 1:24.77 over a fast track. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Tonalist was making her graded debut after winning each of her three prior starts.

Street of Dreams, the 3-1 second choice, was second, another 1 3/4 lengths before Nikki and Papa, a first-time starter who got away in a tangle. Then came Fujairah, Compensate, and New Day Dawning.

Saffie Joseph Jr. is the trainer of Tonalist’s Shape, who was purchased privately after winning her September debut at Gulfstream for trainer Juan Avila. She now is owned by the three-way of partnership Legacy Ranch, Slam Dunk Racing, and Doug Branham, with Nick Cosato of Slam Dunk managing her career.

After the purchase, Tonalist’s Shape won an October allowance at Gulfstream West, then the ungraded Hut Hut by nine lengths on opening weekend of the Gulfstream championship meet.

“The plan is to keep her here,” said Cosato, in from California for the race. “So far everything is going to plan. We’d love to be able to get to Louisville with her.”

Cosato said a pair of qualifying-points events toward the May 1 Kentucky Oaks are the planned next starts – the Feb. 29 Davona Dale and March 28 Gulfstream Oaks.

“Today was the first stepping-stone,” said Joseph, who continues to contend for leading-trainer honors at this meet. “She did everything we asked and we can’t be more proud of her.”

Compensate set the pace for the first five furlongs or so before Tonalist’s Shape loomed to her outside. Ortiz gave his mount two right-handed smacks, then six more with his left hand en route to another convincing score.

“When I asked her turning for home, she really responded,” said Ortiz, the meet’s leading rider and the two-time defending Eclipse Award-winning jockey. “She did everything right.”

The $2 exacta (6-4) paid a mere $5.40, the $1 trifecta (6-4-1) returned $15.60, and the 10-cent superfecta (6-4-1-3) was worth $7.93.