Tonalist Tunes Up for Jim Dandy

Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist continued his preparations for the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy on July 26 at Saratoga by breezing five furlongs in company with stablemate Life in Shambles on Sunday at Belmont.

NYRA clockers caught Tonalist, who is owned by Robert Evans, traveling the distance in 1:02.15, with Life in Shambles timed in 1:01.62.

"They both worked well," said Clement. "Life in Shambles goes to the [$100,000] Curlin [on July 25] and Tonalist, touch wood, goes to the Jim Dandy. It was just a maintenance five-eighths, but he did it the right way. 25 and 3/5 [for the first quarter-mile], and they finished well. The fastest eighth of a mile was the last eighth of a mile, which I love."

Clement also discussed plans for some of the other stakes horses in the barn.

"Summer Front had a very nice work this morning (five furlongs on the turf in 1:01.58)," said Clement. "He's on his way back. It was his first work in three weeks. I'm not exactly where he'll go. The [Grade 1] Eddie Read [on July 20] at Del Mar is a possibility in three weeks. Chamois also worked well (also five furlongs on the turf in 1:01.58). He might go to the [Grade 2] Bowling Green [on July 12 at Belmont]. Might. Discreet Marq worked easy, an maintenance work on dirt (five furlongs in 1:02.42). Worked great. She'll go to the [Grade 1] Diana [on July 19 at Saratoga]. Pure Sensation, a nice work, too (1:00.67). We have two choices: the Lucky Coin [on July 20 at Saratoga] or the [Grade 2] Amsterdam [on July 26 at Saratoga]."

A pair of Clement runners filled the bottom two spots of the Belmont Oaks trifecta, with Stonetower Stable's Sea Queen finishing second after setting the pace and Sarah J. Leigh's Summer Solo closing to take third. Clement said both fillies emerged from the race in good shape.

"They both came back OK," said Clement. "A little bit stiff, obviously from the race, but not bad. [Sea Queen] ran very well. She got a great ride. She was second best on the day, but she ran a great race. [Summer Solo] ran a very good race coming from out of it. She was one of the few horses who finished [strongly]. She out-finished her odds and finished third in a Grade 1."