2014 Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist, bred by Lauren & Rene Woolcott and raised at their Woodslane Farm in The Plains, collected his 4th Grade I stakes victory this past Saturday in the $670,000 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct.
Tonalist holds off fast closing Red Vine in the 2015 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct. Photo by Joe Labozzetta.
The 4 year old son of Tapit, sent off as the second choice in a six horse field, beat stable mate Red Vine by a neck in a thrilling photo finish in 1:37.14. Private Zone, last year’s Cigar Mile winner, set an early sluggish pace as Tonalist sat last under rider John Velazquez. At the three-quarters mark though, the eventual winner swung five wide, took the lead at the head of the stretch, then held off Red Vine by running the last quarter in :24.10.
Tonalist earns his 4th Grade I stakes victory November 28th at Aqueduct in the Cigar Mile. Photo courtesy of Adam Mooshian
Tonalist, who was coming off a disappointing fifth place finish in the October 31st Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland, earned his first stakes win away from Belmont. Besides Saturday’s Cigar Mile, his other Grade I triumphs have been in the ’14 Belmont and the ’14 and ’15 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes.
Tonalist, a 4 year old son of Tapit, moves to the front of the 2015 Cigar Mile field. Photo courtesy of Adam Coglianese.
With 16 career starts, the Christophe Clement trainee now has amassed earnings of $3,647,000 from 7 wins, 4 seconds and 2 third place finishes. Clement also trains the runner-up, who is a 5 year old son of Candy Ride. Tonalist is of the Pleasant Colony mare Settling Mist.
By winning the ’15 Cigar Mile, Tonalist raised his career bankroll to $3,647,000. Photo by Chelsea Durand