Tonalist Keeps Dream Alive for Clement
Both trainer Christophe Clement and Tonalist were in fine fettle this morning following the 3-year-old colt's impressive victory in the Grade 2, $200,000 Peter Pan, Belmont Park's traditional prep for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 7.
"Everything is fine; he's keeping the dream alive," said Clement. "It's great. Any stakes horse is exciting, but to have a horse to make the Belmont is even more exciting. Last time we were there [2003] with a horse named Dynever, who didn't like it sloppy, and all it did was rain all day."
Clement, who is best-known for his prowess with turf horses, notably multiple Eclipse Award winner Gio Ponti, has had his share of success on the main track as well. He is a three-time winner of the Grade 3 Withers for 3-year-olds - Blu Tusmani in 1995, Statesmanship in 1997 and Fast Decision in 2002 - and also saddled Funny Moon to win the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks in 2009.
"It used to upset me, at the end of the day, you were pigeon-holed at something and my deal for years was as a turf filly and mare trainer," he said. "But, Bill Mott told me long ago 'It's better to be pigeon-holed at something than nothing.' I feel very comfortable to train from 5 ½ furlongs to 1 ½ miles, turf or dirt, that's me, that's the way it is."
Working backwards from the 1 ½-mile Belmont, Clement said Tonalist would like have two works, most likely on May 22 or 23 and again on May 30 or 31.
"And that will be it," he said.
Tonalist was the second victory of the day for Clement, who also won race 7, 1 1/16-mile turf allowance, with Brushwood Stable's Mr. Jenney. Making his 2014 debut, the 4-year-old Medaglia d'Oro colt came six-wide from last to post a 1 ½-length win over Stableford. It was Mr. Jenney's second win in his seven starts, having broken his maiden in September at Belmont by three lengths over eventual Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap winner Lochte.
"People don't realize the percentage of stakes horses coming from these maiden races is amazing," said Clement. "He always trained like a nice horse, it just took him a while to get going."