Janet Garaguso Photo

Tom's d'Etat much the best in $100K Alydar

by Ryan Martin

Scoring his second career stakes victory, G M B Racing's Tom's d'Etat laid right off a fast pace, made a two-wide move coming around the far turn and glided home to victory in Friday's $100,000 Alydar in hand under jockey Joel Rosario at Saratoga Race Course.

The lightly-raced 6-year-old son of Smart Strike, who won the Tenacious at Fair Grounds in December, entered the 1 1/8-mile event for 3-year-olds and upward over the main track off of two graded stakes placings at Churchill Downs, where he was second in the Grade 2 Alysheba and third in the Grade 2 Stephen Foster.

Breaking from post 2 in the nine-horse field, Tom's d'Etat was placed on the rail in the first eighth of a mile, but Rosario angled him three paths wide going into the first turn as 36-1 longshot Tour de Force led a torrid opening quarter-mile in 22.90 seconds with American Tattoo tracking in second.

Graded stakes winner Backyard Heaven moved up into second with about half of the journey covered as Tour de Force continued to lead the way through a half-mile in 46.94 seconds. 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 Hall of Famer John Velazquez. In the final furlong, Tom's d'Etat was geared down by Rosario and scored by one length in a time of 1:47.45. Late-closing Wooderson was second and Golden Brown completed the trifecta.

Completing the order of finish were Backyard Heaven, Carlino, You're to Blame, American Tattoo, Tour de Force and Candygram.

"It looked like the race had a lot of speed and my horse has speed, too," said Rosario, who previously piloted Tom's d'Etat to a nine-length victory at the Spa in July 2017. "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. He ran a good race."

Al Stall, Jr. trains Tom's d'Etat, who is now unbeaten in three starts over the Spa's main track. He graduated at third asking in August 2016 and earned a career-best 106 Beyer Speed Figure nearly a year later in an allowance optional claiming event at Saratoga.

"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 Grade 1, $750,000 Woodward on August 31.

"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 for a $2 win bet as the 3-2 mutuel favorite and earned a seventh trip to the winner's circle in 13 career starts. He brought his lifetime earnings up 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, whose dam Candy Cane is a full-sister to multiple champion producing sire Candy Ride.