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Tonalist wins Belmont’s Jockey Club Gold Cup

By WTOP Staff

MIKE FARRELL
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Tonalist won the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup on Saturday at Belmont Park.

It was a triumphant return for the 3-year-old to his favorite track. He is 3 for 3 at Belmont, including the victory in the Belmont Stakes that denied California Chrome the Triple Crown.

The Gold Cup was a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” stakes, guaranteeing Tonalist a berth in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita.

Tonalist, the 3-1 favorite, beat Zivo by 1 3/4 lengths with Long River third.

Moreno finished fourth but was disqualified and placed last for abruptly veering into the path of Wicked Strong on the final turn.

Wicked Strong stumbled, unseating Rajiv Maragh who was taken to a local hospital for X-rays of his right arm.

Wicked Strong ran on riderless, avoiding contact with other horses and was eventually caught by an outrider.

Tonalist, winless in two races at Saratoga since his Belmont Stakes victory, raced well off the pace in the 1 1/4-mile Gold Cup. At the urging of Joel Rosario, Tonalist picked up the tempo with a strong inside move around the last turn.

Rosario briefly considered moving between rivals in the lane but wisely opted for the safer path by angling off the fence. Once free, Tonalist surged to the front for his fourth victory in eight starts.

“He’s a one-paced horse and when he gets going, he goes forever,” Rosario said.

The victory was worth $600,000 for owner Robert S. Evans. Tonalist, trained by Christophe Clement, ranks as one of the favorites for the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Removing the blinkers, which restrict a horse’s field of vision, might have been the key to the Gold Cup victory.

“Tonalist doesn’t need the blinkers,” Clement said. “I should have realized before that he was more mature.”

Tonalist paid $8.10, $4.30 and $3.40. Zivo returned $5.10 and $3.80, and Long River, a 52-1 outsider, paid $17.40 to win. The time was 2:02.12 on the fast track.

Zivo ran well enough to have trainer Chad Brown also thinking about the Breeders’ Cup.

“I’d love to take him to the Classic,” Brown said. “I think he fits. I feel we have one of the better older handicap horses.”

In the other Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” stakes at Belmont, Stephanie’s Kitten picked the right time to get her first victory of the season in the $600,000 Flower Bowl for fillies and mares on the turf, and earn a spot in the $2 million Filly & Mares Turf.

The 6-5 favorite, Stephanie’s Kitten beat Abaco by 1 1/4 lengths. John Velazquez rode for trainer Chad Brown as she covered the 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.15, paying $4.40 to win.

Main Sequence extended his winning streak in the U.S. to three in the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic. Main Sequence edged Twilight Eclipse by a neck and survived a claim of foul alleging interference right before the finish lodged by Jose Lezcano aboard the runner-up. Maragh rode the winner for trainer Graham Motion.

Main Sequence had already earned a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf with his victory in the United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Main Sequence paid $5.90 to win as he ran the 1 1/2 miles in 2:26.32.

Private Zone is heading back to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint after a repeat victory in the $400,000 Vosburgh. He ran 10th in the BC Sprint last year after contesting the early pace.

Regular rider Martin Pedroza was aboard for new trainer Alfredo Velazquez as Private Zone edged Dads Caps by a neck in 1:08.95 for the six furlongs. He paid $13.80 to win.

Trainer Rudy Rodriguez won the two earlier stakes.

Vyjack pulled a 9-1 upset in the $400,000 Kelso Handicap, beating River Rocks by one length. Irad Ortiz, Jr. was aboard as the 4-year-old gelding got his sixth victory in 14 starts, paying $21.20 to win. The time was 1:34.05 for the mile.

Rodriguez struck again as Belle Gallantey was the front-running winner of the $400,000 Beldame for fillies and mares. Jose Ortiz was the rider as the 5-year-old won for the fifth time in seven races this year. She beat Stopchargingmaria by 8 1/4 lengths, paying $11.40 to win. The time was 1:47.55 for the 1 1/8 miles.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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