Westchester the starting point for Red Vine

ELMONT, N.Y. – If Tonalist didn’t get up to win the Grade 1 Cigar Mile last November at Aqueduct, trainer Christophe Clement was going to win the race anyway.

Red Vine found trouble a couple of times in the stretch but rallied to finish second, beaten just a neck by his more heralded and accomplished stablemate.

With Tonalist now in the breeding shed, Red Vine could become the top dirt runner in the Clement barn in 2016. He is back for his 6-year-old season, which is expected to begin in the Grade 3, $150,000 Westchester at Belmont Park on May 7. Tonalist won last year’s Westchester in his seasonal debut.

After making the first 13 starts of his career on turf, Red Vine won an off-the-turf allowance race at Aqueduct in December 2014. He won his next two dirt starts and then finished second or third in five consecutive graded stakes on dirt. That included a third to Beholder in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar and a third to Liam’s Map in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland before his neck loss in the Cigar Mile.

“He broke his maiden on turf at Del Mar, and we tried to juggle between turf and dirt, but I think he found his true surface and ran some good races,” said Christophe Lorieul, the New York-based assistant to Clement. “He was a bit unlucky in a couple of races last year. He’s been knocking on the door to win a big one.”

Red Vine is to have his final work for the Westchester on Saturday at Belmont. Manny Franco will ride Red Vine in the Westchester, the local prep for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap on June 11.

Others pointing to the Westchester include Grade 1 Carter winner Salutos Amigos, who on Thursday worked a half-mile in 50.30 seconds; Team Colors, second in the Grade 3 Skip Away; Mylute, Matterhorn, and possibly El Kabeir and Samraat.