Trainer Christophe Clement confirmed Monday that GI Whitney S. third-place finisher Tonalist (Tapit) will bypass the GI Woodward S. Sept. 5 and instead return in defense of his title in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup S. at Belmont Oct. 3.
“We were third-best on the day,” Clement said of Shel Evans's 2014 GI Belmont S. winner. “I thought he ran a nice race. He just started to get going the last eighth of a mile and was finishing as well, if not better than, anybody else.”
Of the Jockey Club, he said, “It's the regular story. I'll do everything I can to have him fit and feeling as good as possible [for the Gold Cup]. It's exciting.”
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