Tonalist Wins with a Late Rush in the Cigar Mile

Tonalist rebounded from a disappointing fifth place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic to win the Cigar Mile (G1). The 2.20-1 second choice in the betting had to rally from five lengths behind at the top of the stretch to get the victory. Private Zone, who was looking to repeat his 2014 win in this race and was a 1.25-1 favorite, ran a peculiar race early on and finished in a well-beaten fifth.

Out of the gate Private Zone broke on top, but very quickly he appeared to be rank, throwing his head. Jockey Martin Pedroza was clearly struggling to control Private Zone, standing up in the stirrups while pulling strongly on the reins. This battle between horse and rider went on for about a quarter mile before the son of Macho Uno seemed to settle down. While this was going on, the early fractions were slow, 24.15 and 48.40, on an Aqueduct racetrack that had been producing slow times all day. Private Zone was still on the lead with Matrooh in second and Red Vine in third.

After three quarters went in 1:13.04, Private Zone was on the rail and in the lead. As Private Zone began dropping out of contention, Mshawish made a bold move down the middle of the track to take the lead from Matrooh. Red Vine was mounting one last challenge splitting Mshawish and Matrooh and passing them, but at the same time Tonalist was flying down the middle of the track. Just as Red Vine was getting the lead, Tonalist was passing Red Vine. It was a blanket finish with Tonalist in front by a neck over Red Vine, who was a neck ahead of Matrooh.

For the third time in his career Tonalist would put blinkers on and find the winner’s circle. It happened in his maiden victory at Gulfstream Park, in the Westchester (G1) in May at a mile distance, and again today.

“I just thought it made sense [putting blinkers on] from the race in the Breeders’ Cup to going the mile and maybe we should keep it,” said trainer Christophe Clement. “I don’t know we will have to think about it, if we should keep the blinkers all the time. He just runs a little bit of a different race. Today he was not at all rank. He was extremely laid back from the slow pace. The way he finished and leveled out was absolutely spectacular. Today the blinkers were obviously a factor.”

Jockey John Velazquez, who got his second career win in the Cigar Mile having won in 2001 on Left Bank, described his trip, “I got anxious a little bit when we passed the half-mile pole. We were going so slow on the backstretch and I could see the horse on the lead keep trying to get back, throwing his head up, and Javier [Castellano, aboard Mshawish] seemed to be taking back. I was thinking that we were just walking with these horses here. I was close enough I didn't worry about it but when we got to the turn, they started to move away from me. Now I wanted to do it little by little; I didn't want to shake him up too much and then not get him going, so I got him little by little, where he was comfortable."

"By the five-sixteenths pole, he started moving so I said OK, now he's moving. Another horse came to him by the quarter-pole, I don't know who that was, and he got into the bridle and started running. My job was trying to put him in the clear, run him in the clear. When I got him clear and hit him, he responded right away. The last sixteenth of a mile was really good, very exciting."

For the victory Tonalist returned $6.40, $3.70, and $2.70 to his supporters at the betting window. The Cigar Mile was only his second career win away from his Belmont Park home base. His career record now stands at 16: 7-4-2 with earnings of $3,647,000.

In the end, Clement took first and second in the Cigar Mile and the $2 Clement exacta paid $22. "I'm always a little bit worried when I run him,” he said. “The race was run in a funny way; they went so slow early on, which I didn't think was great for us. But that's what good horses do - they win and they overcome things. Great ride by Johnny [Velazquez]. I'm a very lucky man. They both ran very well. Joel [Rosario] came back and said he was very unlucky [on Red Vine]. The fun thing for me, as a trainer, was having the two best horses in the race. I'll have to talk with Mr. [Robert Evans about next year], but no matter what, they're both going to have a break."