Tom's Ready to Spendthrift Upon Retirement

Tom's Ready, winner of the Woody Stephen Stakes (gr. II) in June at Belmont Park, will stand at Spendthrift Farm upon his retirement following an agreement with owner GMB Racing to acquire the breeding rights to the son of More Than Ready  .

"We are excited to have the opportunity to stand such a talented and progressive colt as Tom's Ready, and we're appreciative to Mr. and Mrs. (Tom)  Benson and the entire GMB Racing team," Ned Toffey, general manager at Spendthrift, said in a July 10 release. "Tom's Ready is one of the best-looking colts we've ever seen by More Than Ready, who is emerging as an important sire of sires, both in America and Australia.

"Tom's Ready is incredibly sound and versatile, and we believe his Woody Stephens performance is just the beginning of a big future ahead."

Trained by Dallas Stewart, Tom's Ready will continue to be campaigned by owner GMB Racing throughout the remainder of the colt's racing career, before retiring to Spendthrift to take up stud duty. GMB Racing is owned by Gayle Marie Benson, wife of New Orleans Saints (NFL) and New Orleans Pelicans (NBA) owner Tom Benson.

"In 2014, at the urging of my husband, Tom, we decided to buy some yearlings, and our first purchase was Tom's Ready at the Fasig-Tipton sales in Saratoga," Gayle Benson said. "We are very grateful to Dallas Stewart, who has brought him along nicely into the horse he is today. From the Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) as a 2-year-old, to the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), and most recently the Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont, Tom's Ready has provided me and my husband with great joy.

"We would also like to thank everyone at Spendthrift, especially Mr. Hughes, Ned (Toffey), and Mark (Toothaker), for believing in our horse. He still has productive racing days ahead, and we are excited about the future—on the track and at Spendthrift—for Tom's Ready."

Tom's Ready has a 2-4-0 record from 11 career starts and $577,220 in earnings. His resume includes runner-up finishes this year in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (gr. II) and Lecomte Stakes (gr. III), both at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, and last year's Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs.

As a 2-year-old, Tom's Ready broke his maiden by 3 1/4 lengths at Churchill and was fifth in the Hopeful at Saratoga before finishing a fast-closing second in the Street Sense. At age 3, he qualified for the Kentucky Derby after runner-up performances in the Louisiana Derby and Lecomte.

Tom's Ready returned to one turn in the seven-furlong Woody Stephens on the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) undercard, winning by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:21.38. He is being pointed for the $500,000 King's Bishop Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 27 at Saratoga Race Course.

Purchased by Stewart and GMB Racing for $145,000 at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale, Tom's Ready was bred by Blackstone Farm from the Broad Brush mare Goodbye Stranger, a half sister to stakes winners Lemonlime and Miss Moses.

Tom's Ready is a son of dual hemisphere champion sire More Than Ready, whose son Sebring is the sire of the reigning Australian Horse of the Year Dissident.