A pair of accomplished veterans with opposite running styles headline Saturday's GI Cigar Mile H. at Aqueduct. The speedy Private Zone (Macho Uno), who won this race by five lengths last year while under the care of Alfredo Velazquez, makes his first start since being transferred from Jorge Navarro to Brian Lynch. The 6-year-old ran away with the July 4 GIII Belmont Sprint S., and aired in Saratoga's GI Forego S. Aug. 29. He was a typically game second in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland Oct. 31, one spot ahead of Wednesday's Fabulous Strike H. hero Favorite Tale (Tale of the Cat). Private Zone hasn't had a published workout since the Breeders' Cup, as he refused during an attempted drill last Saturday. “It's not the most orthodox,” Lynch said of bringing Private Zone into the Cigar Mile off just gallops. “I've only had a couple of weeks with him and only seen him this past week, so we're going to do the best we can to get him there. I like to think everything happens for a reason, though, and he's coming out of the Breeders' Cup, so his fitness level was already good. Maybe he didn't even need the work; he's been very happy in his training this week. Hopefully he brings the same hard, tough race he's been running.”
'TDN Rising Star' Tonalist (Tapit), meanwhile, cuts back to a mile after four tries at longer distances. Trainer Christophe Clement gave last year's GI Belmont S. and GI Jockey Club Gold Cup hero blinkers at the start of this season, and he proved more than capable at eight panels, annexing Belmont's GIII Westchester S. before finishing second to Honor Code (A. P. Indy)–and one spot ahead of Private Zone–in the GI Metropolitan H. June 6. Beaten a head by eventual GI Breeders' Cup Classic runner-up Effinex (Mineshaft) after a very tough trip in the 10-furlong GI Suburban H. July 4, he found himself with way too much to do when third to Honor Code and Liam's Map (Unbridled's Song) in Saratoga's GI Whitney S. Aug. 8. The bay defended his Jockey Club title Oct. 3, but was a disappointing fifth in the Oct. 31 BC Classic after attempting to be closer to American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) early. “He's trained so well and it's the last Grade 1 of the year [in New York], so why not?” Clement, who also saddles GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile runner-up Red Vine (Candy Ride {Arg}), said of the $3.2-million earner. “He's stabled here and will get a break after the race. As of now, the plan is for both Red Vine and Tonalist to remain in training next year.”
Shadwell Stable's Matrooh (Distorted Humor) turned in a career-best effort last time to take Belmont's seven-furlong GIII Bold Ruler H. on Halloween with a 105 Beyer Speed Figure. Lightly raced 'TDN Rising Star' makes just the third start of his career. A clear-cut debut winner sprinting at Belmont Sept. 23, the son of MGISW Seventh Street (Street Cry {Ire}) was last seen taking a track-and-trip allowance by 5 1/2 lengths Nov. 4. Mshawish (Medaglia d'Oro), a Group 2 winner in Dubai who annexed the GI Gulfstream Park Turf H. this February, makes the first dirt start of his career. March's G1 Dubai Turf third was most recently fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile Oct. 31.
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