Velazquez critical of Suburban ride on Tonalist

ELMONT, N.Y. – John Velazquez will ride Tonalist again in the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 8. He plans to ride him a little better than he did in the Grade 2 Suburban, when he made a premature move and was beaten a head by Effinex.

Velazquez admitted to riding Tonalist poorly in the Suburban last Saturday, saying he moved the horse too soon into a hot early pace. The opening half-mile was 46.13 seconds, and Tonalist was six lengths behind Street Babe and Coach Inge at that point. The third quarter went in 24 seconds flat, and Tonalist moved to within a half-length of the lead, meaning he ran his third quarter in about 23 seconds.

“I let the horse do too much too soon,” Velazquez said Wednesday at Belmont. “I’m the pilot. I’m supposed to guide him and let him know what he’s supposed to do.”

Velazquez rode Tonalist for the first time in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap, finishing second to Honor Code. According to Angel Cordero, Velazquez’s agent, he made a three-race commitment to the connections of Tonalist through the Whitney. After the Whitney, either side could move on.

The Whitney figures to come up a strong race, and among the horses who might need a rider is Liam’s Map, the exciting colt who is 4 for 5, with Velazquez having ridden him to three of those wins and Javier Castellano to a fourth. Castellano rode Honor Code to victory in the Met Mile and will ride him in the Whitney.