Bullet for Tonalist

Tonalist (Tapit) tuned up for a defense of his title in the Oct. 3 GI Jockey Club Gold Cup with a bullet five furlongs in 1:00.32 at Belmont Saturday.

“Nice work yesterday,” trainer Christophe Clement said Sunday morning. “We’re happy, Johnny Velazquez was up five-eighths, galloping out three-quarters and he came out of it in good shape. Everything is go and we’re ready.”

Last year’s GI Belmont S. winner, Tonalist opened 2015 with a win in the May 2 GIII Westchester S. He was second in the June 6 GI Metropolitan H. and July 4 GII Suburban H. and is coming off a third-place effort in the Aug. 8 GI Whitney H.

Stablemate Red Vine (Candy Ride {Arg}), aiming for the Oct. 3 GII Kelso S., worked five furlongs in company Saturday in 1:02.31.

“Red Vine had a nice work yesterday, as well,” said Clement. “I’ve been shipping him around all year long so it’s nice to be able to run him at Belmont. Obviously, it’s going to be a very tough race and I have a tremendous amount of respect for Honor Code, but it’s a fun race. When I ran him in the Pacific Classic, I thought it was a little bit at the end of the world for him so maybe he might be better and more efficient at a mile. I don’t know, but we’ll find out Saturday.”

Red Vine is coming off a third-place effort behind Beholder (Henny Hughes) in the Aug. 22 GI Pacific Classic.

GI Whitney H. winner Honor Code (A.P. Indy) worked Sunday at Belmont, going five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.60. The 4-year-old is expected to go in the Kelso, but is also nominated to the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Other possible starters in Saturday’s Gold Cup to work this past weekend: Effinex (Mineshaft) went seven furlongs over the training track Sunday in 1:28.60; Wicked Strong (Hard Spun) went five furlongs over the main track Saturday in 1:00.44; Constitution (Tapit) worked five furlongs Saturday over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga in 1:02.44.