Tom's d'Etat Cruises to Victory in Alydar
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Janet Garaguso
Tom's d'Etat and jockey Joel Rosario cruise to the wire in the Alydar at Saratoga Race Course
Scoring his second stakes victory Aug. 2, GMB Racing's Tom's d'Etat laid just off a fast pace, made a two-wide move coming around the far turn, and glided home in the $100,000 Alydar Stakes in hand under jockey Joel Rosario at Saratoga Race Course.
The 6-year-old son of Smart Strike who won the Tenacious Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in December entered the 1 1/8-mile event for 4-year-olds and up off two graded stakes placings at Churchill Downs, where he was second in the Alysheba Stakes Presented by Sentient Jet (G2) and third in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2).
Breaking from post 2 in the nine-horse field, Tom's d'Etat raced along the rail for the first furlong, but Rosario angled him three wide going into the first turn as 36-1 longshot Tour de Force led a torrid opening quarter-mile in :22.90 with American Tattoo tracking in second.
Tour de Force continued to lead the way through a half-mile in :46.44. Around the far turn, Backyard Heaven confronted Tour de Force as Rosario made a three-wide move with Tom's d'Etat under little urging.
At the top of the stretch, Tom's d'Etat had a three-length advantage as three-time winner Wooderson was all out under John Velazquez. In the final furlong, Tom's d'Etat was geared down by Rosario and scored by a length in a final time of 1:47.45 over the fast track. Late-closing Wooderson was second, and Golden Brown completed the trifecta.
"It looked like the race had a lot of speed, and my horse has speed, too," Rosario said. "I just let him break and we ended up following the leaders in the first part. They went very fast up front, but he was happy the whole time and when I called for him to go, he was there for me."
Trained by Al Stall Jr., Tom's d'Etat is unbeaten in three starts over the Spa's main track. He graduated at third asking in August 2016 and nearly a year later won an allowance optional claiming event by nine lengths with Rosario aboard.
"He has the talent. He loves this course, and he deserves to win a race like this at Saratoga," Stall said. "We were considering entering the Whitney, but ultimately we decided he could use some class relief, and he gives us a lot to look forward to coming off this performance going forward. We kept him at Churchill to get ready for this race. He just does so well down there and doesn't need much to get acclimated."
Stall did not rule out a start in the Aug. 31 Woodward Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1).
"Everything just fell right into place. Joel got him off the fence a little bit, for him, behind that fast pace and he just galloped," Stall said. "He galloped past those horses. Joel saved a lot of horse. It gives us a little confidence thinking about the Woodward, possibly. We'll keep an eye on him and take it minute to minute from here. He's in good form, and this is a confidence builder for me and him."
Tom's d'Etat returned $4 as the even-money favorite and won for the seventh time in 13 starts. He brought his lifetime earnings to $716,892 after cashing a check for $55,000 from Friday's win.
Bred in Kentucky by SF Bloodstock, Tom's d'Etat is out of the Giant's Causeway broodmare Julia Tuttle.