Tom's d'Etat ready to fire off a layoff in Churchill's Stephen Foster

G M B Racing’s Grade 1 winner Tom’s d’Etat continued his preparation toward the Stephen Foster (G2) with a strong six-furlong move in 1:12.80 Saturday morning at Churchill Downs.

“The most incredible thing about his work this morning was it hardly looked like he even did anything but he just cruised out there,” trainer Al. Stall Jr. said. “Now, he’s back in his stall and doesn’t even seemed like any of it phased him one bit.”

Tom’s d’Etat will enter the June 27 Stephen Foster with stakes victories in four of his last five races, including a 3 ¼-length victory in last year’s Clark (G1) under the Twin Spires.

The 7-year-old son of Smart Strike worked in company Saturday morning with 3-year-old Sharecropper (five furlongs, 1:00.80) and sailed past his stablemate at the wire. Tom’s d’Etatcontinued his drill around the clubhouse turn for a final 3/4-mile drill.

“He has a history of running well off layoffs,” Stall said. “He’s never really left form even after he was freshened at Fair Grounds this winter when we were getting him ready for the second half of the year. We are right on schedule with him.

"We had talked about the (one-mile) Blame as a prep but when the schedule was shuffled around, we just decided to stick with the plan to run him in the Foster. We originally targeted the Ben Ali on April 11 at Keeneland but after that was canceled we were fortunate enough to run on April 11 in a short-stretch one-mile race at Oaklawn," the Oaklawn Mile.

“One thing about it," Stall continued, "we have a laid-back, ready horse. I’m not worried about how he’s going to show up for the Foster as long as he continues to train as he’s been doing all along. This race should feed us into the rest of the year with him. For the last two years, he’s had solid training and a wonderful foundation beneath him. He’s finally been able to get into form and show that.”

Nominations for the Stephen Foster, a Breeder’s Cup “Win and You’re In Classic Division” race, close June 13. The day of racing will feature a trio of other stakes events: the $200,000 Fleur de Lis (G2) which is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In" for the Distaff; the $100,000 Regret (G3) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on turf; and the $100,000 Bashford Manor (G3) for 2-year-olds at six furlongs.

Unlike previous years, the Stephen Foster card will be run during the day and have a first post of 1 p.m. 

Another likely contender for the Stephen Foster is the Blame Stakes winner Owendale, who worked an easy half-mile in :51.40 Saturday morning at Churchill Downs for Rupp Racing and trainer Brad Cox.