Tonalist, Bayern highlight stellar Met Mile on Belmont Stakes undercard

Tonalist has proven his love for Belmont Park time and again (Debra Kral/Horsephotos.com)

The 147th running of the Belmont S. (G1) on Saturday is the highlight of a
stakes-laden card at Belmont Park, but one of the undercard events is likely to
attract a huge amount of attention as well.

The $1.25 million

Metropolitan H. (G1) drew a field of 10 featuring last year’s Belmont Stakes
winner Tonalist (Tapit) and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) victor Bayern (Offlee
Wild) among its talented bunch. The one-mile contest is scheduled to take place
two races before the third jewel of the Triple Crown on Saturday.

Tonalist will attempt to keep his record perfect at Belmont Park for trainer
Christophe Clement in the Met Mile. The bay four-year-old has racked up four
wins from as many starts at Big Sandy, beginning with a four-length score in the
Peter Pan S. (G2) last May. He followed up with his Belmont Stakes triumph and
went on to add the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) to his resume before suffering just
the second off-the-board placing of his career when fifth in the Breeders’ Cup
Classic at Santa Anita Park.

Given a nice long break following his sophomore season, which also included
placings in the Travers S. (G1) and Jim Dandy S. (G1) at Saratoga, Tonalist
returned on May 2 at Belmont to capture the one-mile Westchester S. (G3). He did
so under Joe Bravo but will be ridden for the first time on Saturday by John
Velazquez.

Private Zone romped at Churchill Downs last out (Lauren J. Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com)

Martin Garcia has been aboard ever since the Haskell and retains the mount on
Bayern for the Met Mile.

Tonalist and Bayern will share 123-pound highweight duties with another
leading runner in Private Zone (Macho Uno). The six-year-old gelding beat
Bayern in the Churchill Downs Stakes, which followed a season-opening second in
the Gulfstream Park H. (G2) on March 7 behind fellow Met Mile contender Honor
Code (A.P. Indy).

Private Zone currently boasts a 1-2-0 mark from four tries at the
distance, including a career-best five-length win in the Cigar Mile H. (G1) last
fall at Aqueduct. He’s also captured the past two runnings of the six-furlong
Vosburgh S. (G1) and keeps regular rider Martin Pedroza in the irons as he
breaks from the rail.

Honor Code will only tote 118 pounds after following his Gulfstream Park ‘Cap
triumph with a well-beaten fifth in the Alysheba S. (G2) on the Kentucky Oaks
(G1) undercard at Churchill. The Shug McGaughey trainee is making a comeback
after competing just twice in 2014. The dark bay ridgling suffered a suspensory
injury while on the Triple Crown trail last season and didn’t reappear in
competition until scoring in an allowance/optional claimer at Aqueduct in late
November. Javier Castellano has been aboard for all but one of Honor Code’s
starts and will attempt to guide the four-year-old back into the winner’s circle
in this spot.

Stanford is set to make his first start since March in the Easy Goer (Rickelle Nelson/Horsephotos.com)

The stakes action on the Belmont Stakes program kicks off in the 1ST race
with the $150,000
Easy
Goer S. The 1 1/16-mile affair drew five runners, including Stanford (Malibu
Moon), Donworth (Tiznow) and Japan (Medaglia d’Oro).

Stanford was entered in the Kentucky Derby but scratched out early after his
connections didn’t like his post draw. He at first was confirmed for the
Preakness S. (G1), then under consideration for the May 9 Peter Pan, but didn’t
enter either contest. The Todd Pletcher-trained bay will now go in the Easy Goer
off a close neck second in the Louisiana Derby (G2) from March 28. Castellano
has the call.

Donworth was a nice maiden debut winner at Gulfstream Park on March 14 and
has since placed in both the Lexington S. (G3) and Sir Barton S. for trainer
Graham Motion. Japan impressed with a seven-length maiden score under the Twin
Spires on April 30 in his third try for conditioner Bill Mott. Joel Rosario will
be aboard Donworth as he breaks from the rail while Junior Alvarado will pilot
Japan from post 3.

Two races later in the $500,000

Woody Stephens S. (G2), Competitive Edge (Super Saver) will put his perfect
four-for-four mark on the line against five rivals. The bay colt romped in his
last two tries at seven furlongs, including an 8 1/2-length wire job in the
Tamarac S. to open his three-year-old season on March 27. He’ll enter the Woody
Stephens off a 4 1/2-length score in the Pat Day Mile (G3) on the Kentucky Derby
program, and brings regular jockey Velazquez along for the ride.

Call Me George is looking for another upset win, this time in the Brooklyn (Alexander Barkoff/Hodges Photography)

About midway through the Belmont Stakes card, a field of 13 will line up in
the $400,000

Brooklyn Invitational (G2) going 1 1/2 miles on the main track. Effinex
(Mineshaft) and Red Rifle (Giant’s Causeway) were the respective top-two
finishers in the Excelsior S. (G3) last out and renew their rivalry in the
Brooklyn.

Also entered is Call Me George (Point Given), who will try to put his dismal
eighth most recently in the Alysheba behind him and return to the form that saw
him upset the New Orleans H. (G2) at Fair Grounds in late March.

Last year’s Travers winner, V. E. Day (English Channel); recent Tokyo City
Cup (G3) romper Sky Kingdom (Empire Maker); and Grade 3 victor Micromanage
(Medaglia d’Oro) are also entered.