Savoy Stomp to Make Stakes Debut in Lecomte

Team Valor International and Southern Equine Stable's well-bred Savoy Stomp will look for his first stakes win Jan. 17 in the $200,000 Lecomte Stakes (gr. III) for 3-year-olds at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.  

 

The Lecomte, run at one mile and 70 yards, is part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Gr. I) series of prep races and awards points on a 10-4-2-1 basis to the top four finishers.

 

Sold to Team Valor for $875,000, he was the highest-priced colt at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale. The son of Medaglia d'Oro   is out of a full sister to grade I winner and sire Majestic Warrior  . He has three starts on his record, including an impressive two-length victory on his debut in September at Belmont Park going seven furlongs.  

 

"He's an extremely good-looking horse," said Barry Irwin of Team Valor. "He's out of a mare who is from a sprint family, and when I bought him I was worried he wouldn't run that far. But since we put him in training he has more stamina than speed, which is good. He won first time out, and when they win like that going seven furlongs on the rail, they're going to go two turns."

 

After the colt's debut victory in 1:23.37 for trainer Todd Pletcher, Savoy Stomp was brought back in the one-mile Nashua Stakes (gr. II) over a muddy surface at Aqueduct Racetrack and ran fifth. Six weeks later, he was third in an allowance as the 7-5 favorite at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 17, again going a one-turn mile. Racing wide throughout, he ran along for the show behind next-out Mucho Macho Man Stakes winner Bluegrass Singer. 

 

"He didn't like the wet dirt (in the Nashua); (the kickback) stung him and he ran horribly," Irwin explained. "Then in his (third) race the rail was golden and he could have stayed there, but (jockey Javier Castellano) was so worried about the kickback that he stayed outside. On a normal track like Fair Grounds going two turns, he should do well.

 

"Pletcher has always liked the horse," Irwin continued. "The question with him is what his best trip is. I always thought he wanted to run longer and Pletcher is hopeful he will, but (Pletcher) told me that if he turned out to be a late-running sprinter, he wouldn't be surprised. You never know which way they're going to go. It's a matter of timing and what their progression is. I've run five horses in the (Kentucky) Derby and the only one I was absolutely sure would love the mile and a quarter was Captain Bodgit (in 1997). He had such amazing stamina."

 

Bred by co-owner Southern Equine Stable, Savoy Stomp was so well regarded by principal Mike Moreno's operation that they wished to stay involved following his sale to Team Valor.  

 

"When I bought the horse at the sale (Southern Equine) told me they wanted to stay in, and I said that was fine," Irwin added.

 

Savoy Stomp put in his final major work Jan. 11 morning at Palm Beach Downs in South Florida—a half mile breeze in :49.02, the fifth-fastest of 24 moves at the distance. He is scheduled to have Mike Smith in the irons in Saturday's 71st running of the Lecomte. 

 

"You certainly try this time of year to get on good young horses, especially Kentucky Derby horses," said Smith. "Todd (Pletcher) is definitely one you want to ride for."