Tonalist stars in accident-marred Jockey Club Gold Cup

"I could see turning for home they were coming back to me and he found a way

through. I'm happy we got the money. He's a one-paced horse, and when he starts

going, he goes forever. I was really happy with the trip."

Rosario was forced to alter course during the stretch drive to avoid trouble,

but rival Wicked Strong wasn't as fortunate, dislodging jockey Rajiv Maragh

leaving the backstretch at

Belmont Park after clipping heels and stumbling. The steward ruled that

Moreno caused the incident and disqualified him from fourth to ninth.

"When I passed the half-mile, and the (jockey) fell in front of me, it scared

me a little bit and I was just trying to get out of the way," Rosario said.

"After that I tried to save ground. I was hoping to go through on the inside,

but (the opening) closed up and I had to go around."

"A great ride," said Clement, who removed blinkers from Tonalist on Saturday.

"Joel is just so laid back. He was always in his space, always in his stride. (Tonalist)

doesn't need the blinkers anymore. I should have realized before that he was

more mature."

Moreno sprinted to the fore at the break but conceded the early advantage to

Big Casanova, who showed the way on a short lead down the long Belmont

backstretch. Tonalist was still ninth, 10 lengths back of the pacesetter, after

six furlongs in 1:11. The fallen jockey (Maragh) and loose horse (Wicked Strong)

forced a number of riders to steady or change direction to avoid trouble.

Long River was tracking the early leader in third and took a short lead on

the far turn and into the stretch drive, with Moreno to his inside. Tonalist

rapidly accelerated into contention on the far turn, closing boldly along the

inside as he turned for home, but a seam along the rail closed. Rosario was

forced to check momentarily, guiding his mount out a couple of paths out, and

Tonalist quickly regained his momentum, splitting Zivo and Long River to strike

the front inside the the final furlong.

He won going away in strong fashion, finishing the 10-furlong distance in

2:02 over the fast track.

"They went 47 and change. They went fast enough that I knew they'd come back

a little bit," Clement said. "From the three-eighths on, he looked really good.

He was closer and closer, and you could see the horse was going really well."

Tonalist left the starting gate as a slight 3-1 favorite, with Wicked Strong

as the 3-1 second choice, and paid $8.10 for the win.

It was another 3 1/4-length margin back to Moreno at the wire. Stephanoatsee

was elevated to fourth via disqualification, and the official order of finish

was completed by V.E. Day, Last Gunfighter, Big Casanova, Speak Logistics and

Moreno. Micromanage was eased and Prayer for Relief was scratched in the

paddock.

Maragh, who won the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic aboard Main Sequence in

the race before the Gold Cup, was reported to have sustained a broken arm after

being unseated.

Tonalist opened his career last November at Aqueduct, running fourth in a

one-mile maiden special weight on the main track. He returned to action two

months later for his three-year-old bow in a maiden contest at Gulfstream Park,

triumphing that day by four lengths while stretching out to nine furlongs. The

bay faced winners for the first time on February 22 at Gulfstream, including

impressive maiden debut scorer and eventual Florida Derby victor Constitution.

Tonalist gave it his best but just could not run down that rival while going 1

1/16 miles.

Bred in Kentucky by Woodslane Farm, the bay colt RNAed for $195,000 at the

Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Selected Yearlings sale before being privately purchased

by Evans.

Tonalist is out of the winning Pleasant Colony mare Settling Mist, making his

second dam the stakes-winning Toll Fee. That one's descendants include Horse of

the Year Havre de Grace, multiple Grade 1 queen Riskaverse, and Grade 3 scorers

Cozzy Corner and Bouquet Booth.

Tonalist's third dam is Broodmare of the Year Toll Booth, a half-sister to

leading sire Raja Baba whose offspring include champion sprinter Plugged Nickle,

Grade 1 winner Christiecat and Grade 3 heroine Key to the Bridge.

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