Tom's d'Etat could wind up in Woodward after optional claiming romp
G M B Racing's Tom's d'Etat could wind up in the Grade 1, $750,000 Woodward September 2 off his nine-length romp in a 1 1/8-mile optional claiming allowance Thursday, trainer Al Stall said Friday morning.
The 1 1/8-mile Woodward would mark the stakes debut for the 4-year-old Smart Strike colt. In his only previous start at Saratoga, Tom's d'Etat broke his maiden by four lengths in front-running fashion last August 5 in his third career start.
G M B Racing is the nom de course of Gayle Marie Benson, the wife of New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans owner Tom Benson.
"We'll take a long look at the Woodward, for sure. I'm not for sure running but we'll nominate and see how it shakes out," Stall said. "He's got a great record on this track, he's right here, and it's 30 days, not to mention the owner has had lofty goals his whole life. The man has won the Super Bowl. We're going to hope we have a horse that comes out of the race well and see what we can do."
Tom's d'Etat made his race debut on turf last May and didn't run again after his maiden victory until returning with a 3 ¾-length score March 20 at the Fair Grounds. He entered Thursday's race off a 2 ¼-length win June 10 at Churchill Downs, going 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.46.
"He's a horse we've been high on for a long time and he's a horse that is maturing as he's getting some age on him. He's getting himself together and still has a way to go," Stall said. "He makes the lead and pulls himself up and puts his ears forward. He's been running like that with a little bit left in the tank. If he ever gets down and runs, who knows what might happen.
"He's a good-looking horse. He was kind of an expensive yearling [$330,000] with a good pedigree," he added. "As soon as he got on the dirt he just woke up and you could see the proverbial light coming on. He's still in the process."
Stall, who has Excitations entered in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam, said he also expects to run E.H. Beau Lane III's homebred Minnie Blip in the Grade 1, $500,000 Test on August 5. The dark bay or brown daughter of Algorithms won first time out March 23 at Fair Grounds and rebounded from a fourth-place effort May 5 to take a 6 ½-furlong optional claiming allowance June 22last out, both at Churchill Downs.
"We liked her at the Fair Grounds and she ran great her first time out," Stall said. "She caught a real deep track in her second start, the same day as Tom's d'Etat. The track was really strange. She showed that speed and then she just didn't finish up. We gave her some time and she came back in the a-other-than in [1:16.65]. The very next race was a two-other-than, older fillies and mares; I had one in there. They ran 27 minutes apart and she ran like six lengths faster. The track couldn't change that much. The owner owns the family, so any piece of the Test would be great for him."
Source: NYRA Communications