Lecomte Contender Mo Tom a 'Work in Progress'

Trainer Tom Amoss knows how to win a race or two at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, but the 11-time meet champion also knows when to place his focus on the long game when it comes to developing his horses.

One horse who seems to fit that profile to the proverbial 'T' is G M B Racing's Mo Tom, whom Amoss trains for Gayle Benson, wife of New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson. Mo Tom may appear to be the most accomplished horse entered for the $200,000 TwinSpires.com Lecomte Stakes (gr. III) coming up Jan. 16, but what he has yet to achieve excites Amoss the most.

NOVAK: Fields Line Up for Lecomte, Silverbulletday

A son of 2015's top freshman sire Uncle Mo   bred in Kentucky by Hargus & Sandra Sexton & Silver Fern Farm out of the Rubiano mare Caroni, Mo Tom has progressed with each of his four efforts since he was purchased for $150,000 by G M B from the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale when consigned by Warrendale.

In his debut going six furlongs at Ellis Park Sept. 5, the dark bay colt with an impressive turn of foot and stride closed from the back of the pack to win by a neck. Five weeks later on Oct. 8 in allowance company at Keeneland he lost to next-out restricted stakes winner Richie the Bull when third by 21/4 lengths. In his third effort, he showed a nice kick when taking the $81,000 Street Sense over fellow Lecomte entrants Tom's Ready—also owned by the Bensons—and Pinnacle Peak.

Then last out, in his graded stakes debut, he was arguably the most impressive of any horse when finishing a game third behind Eclipse Award finalist Airoforce and next-out grade I winner Mor Spirit in the Nov. 28 $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (gr. II).

NOVAK: Airoforce Splashes Home in KY Jockey Club

Mo Tom displayed a willingness to overcome adversity in his previous race that caught the eyes of many, as he gobbled up ground on the rail over a sealed and sloppy course under regular rider Corey Lanerie.

On Saturday, in his sophomore debut, Mo Tom will try to move forward again for his connections and—while a win is preferable—what they wish to see is an advance toward the bigger and better goals of the $1 million TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (gr. II) on Mar. 26 and, of course, the May 7 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). Mo Tom finished up his preparation for his 3-year-old bow with two consecutive impressive five-furlong moves—a bullet on Jan. 4 in 1:00.20 and a third-best of 33 on Monday, Jan. 11, in 1:01 flat.

"He's doing well," Amoss said. "He had his last breeze on Monday and it went well and he came out of it in good shape. I think it's important to note that although the Lecomte is a nice race, it's not our goal. We fully recognize that we're trying to run beyond a mile 70 yards after this week. We know (being a late-running horse), that he will likely have to pass every one one of those horses to win, which may or may not happen."

Amoss has been in a similar situation with a promising sophomore before. In 2015, he had one of the leading local Kentucky Derby hopefuls in Loooch Racing's War Story, and in 2013 he trained GoldMark Farm's Mylute. War Story placed in all three Louisiana preps, including a runner-up finish in the Lecomte, while Mylute finished a narrow second in the Louisiana Derby—a race that has gallingly eluded the New Orleans native—before finishing a respectable fifth in the Kentucky Derby and third in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I).

"He's a little different from them," Amoss said. "He's a May foal and he looks it. He is tall, but he's not physically very mature yet. Mentally—meaning his racing mentality—he is also immature.

"With that in mind, you can look at it from a couple different perspectives," he concluded. "You can either be excited about the future or worry that he's not there yet. I prefer to keep the glass half-full. I've called him a work in progress."