Tom's d'Etat Breezes Toward Keeneland Return
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Leslie Martin
Tom's d'Etat is gearing up for a return to racing in the spring at Keeneland
After breezing grade 1 winner Tom's d'Etat at a half-mile in :50 2/5 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Feb. 22, trainer Al Stall Jr. said he would look to the spring at Keeneland for the horse's next race while eyeing a hopeful return there in the fall. The immediate race on his itinerary is the $200,000 Ben Ali Stakes (G3) April 11 at the Lexington track, and the ultimate fall prize is the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) there Nov. 7.
A 7-year-old son of Smart Strike owned by G M B Racing, Tom's d'Etat won three of seven races last year, topped by runaway victories in the Oct. 26 Hagyard Fayette Stakes (G2) at Keeneland and the Nov 29 Clark Stakes Presented by Norton Healthcare (G1) at Churchill Downs. Stall elected to give his horse a break, bypassing the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1) at Gulfstream Park and the major upcoming races in the Middle East.
"He looks spectacular—that's all I can tell you. He's moving well, looks great," Stall said. "We'll slap a new set of shoes on him this week and start picking up the pace a little bit."
Video: Clark S. presented by Norton Healthcare (G1)
Also pointed to return April 11 is Stall's sprinter Bobby's Wicked One, though he will run at Oaklawn Park in the $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3). He breezed four furlongs Saturday in 49 3/5 at Fair Grounds.
Bobby's Wicked One won the seven-furlong Commonwealth Stakes (G3) at Keeneland last year, then captured a pair of six-furlong stakes at Fair Grounds over the winter: the Thanksgiving Classic Stakes in 1:08.68 and the Duncan F. Kenner Stakes in 1:08.55. The 5-year-old Speightstown horse is owned by Autumn Hill Farms Racing Stables.
"The ultimate goal is to try to be ready for Keeneland" Stall said, referring to the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) Nov. 7. "I think we'll stick with three-quarter-mile races for him."
Stall also has Town and Country Racing's Real News aimed at the $200,000 Shakertown Stakes (G2T), a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint April 4 at Keeneland. The 4-year-old is 2-for-2 in grass sprints this winter, including the Frontier Utilities Turf Sprint Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park. He worked four furlongs in :49 Saturday.
"He's come back off his freshening like a monster," Stall said.
Other top-class stakes horses who breezed Saturday at Fair Grounds included millionaire and multiple graded stakes winner Mr. Money (half-mile in :49) and last year's Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Serengeti Empress (half-mile in :47 4/5). Mr. Money is being prepared toward a spring return by trainer Bret Calhoun, and Serengeti Empress will make her next start in the March 14 Azeri Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park under Jose Ortiz, trainer Tom Amoss said.
The Azeri could present a rematch between the top four finishers from the Houston Ladies Classic (G3)—Lady Apple, Serengeti Empress, Street Band, and Mylady Curlin, respectively. The group was separated by only a length in the Jan. 26 race at Sam Houston. The Azeri is Oaklawn's final steppingstone before its premier race for older fillies and mares, the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 18.