Janet Garaguso Photo

Tom's d'Etat stellar in final work for Whitney (G1)

by NYRA Press Office

• Clement heating up during first part of Saratoga meet
• Volatile will get the ultimate test in Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G1)
• By My Standards looking to peak at right time heading into Whitney (G1)
• No Parole drills through half-mile work
• Code of Honor to breeze Monday in preparation for Whitney (G1)
• Pat On the Back will turn back in distance in John Morrissey

Grade 1-winner Tom's d'Etat posted a half-mile breeze in 48.22 seconds on the main track Friday in preparation for the Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney on August 1 at Saratoga.

Owned by Gayle Benson's G M B Racing, Tom's d'Etat was among the first horses to breeze over the main track at 5:45 a.m., recording his final work for the Whitney, a Breeders' Cup Win and You're In event offering a berth in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Trainer Al Stall, Jr. said the 7-year-old veteran continues to be a professional.

"It was just what we've seen in the past," Stall, Jr. said. "I just put him with another horse to get his attention and put him back in the game. He went around there very, very comfortably, put up the numbers that we wanted him to, and he galloped out like we wanted him to gallop out. More importantly, it seemed like he was very good back at the barn."

Tom's d'Etat, a bay son of champion-producing stallion Smart Strike, arrives at the Whitney off a four-race winning streak, all of which took place against stakes company. Following a triumph in the Grade 2 Fayette on October 26 at Keeneland, he struck Grade 1 gold for the first time in the Clark at Churchill Downs over fellow Whitney aspirant Owendale. He then made his seasonal bow a winning one over a wet track in the Oaklawn Mile before registering a career-best 109 Beyer Speed Figure in the Grade 2 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs.

"All you got to do is look at his races," Stall, Jr. said of the 11-time winner of 18 starts. "He's just crushed some of his rivals over the years. He's run great times and fabulous figures and things like that. He's shown it to us and we're just happy to be in this situation."

Tom's d'Etat boasts three victories in four starts over the Saratoga main track, including a victory in last year's Alydar, as well as a nine-length victory against allowance optional claiming company in July 2017.

Seeing a non-gelded 7-year-old horse at this caliber is quite uncommon in racing, but Stall's patience was highly rewarded.

"We thought he was worth it all along. I don't know that any of us thought he'd be right where he is right now at age 7, but we'll take what comes our way," Stall, Jr. said.

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 undefeated Grade 1 winner and multiple champion producing sire Candy Ride. Tom's d'Etat has accumulated $1,627,272 in lifetime earnings. He will stand at WinStar Farm upon retirement.

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Clement heating up during first part of Saratoga meet

Trainer Christophe Clement has enjoyed a stellar start to the 2020 Saratoga meet, saddling nine winners from 20 starters through Thursday, while finishing on the board at a 70 percent clip.

The French conditioner, who saddled 13 winners at the 2019 Spa meet, continued his good run of form Thursday adding three more Saratoga victories to his ledger, including a stakes triumph with Fresco in the Statue of Liberty division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series.

Another two of Clement's nine winners this meet took place against graded stakes company when Decorated Invader notched a third graded stakes triumph in the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame and Speaktomeofsummer scored in the Grade 2 Lake Placid.

Clement, the meet's leading trainer heading into Friday's card, has a one-win lead over Chad Brown.

"They have all been running great. We had a good Belmont meet and they're running well. We're just hoping to keep it up," Clement said.

Oak Bluff Stable homebred Fresco had her coming out party, breaking her maiden as the overwhelming favorite in the Statue of Liberty. Piloted by Irad Ortiz, Jr., the daughter of leading New York sire Freud was fifth, sitting off a slow pace and angled four wide into the turn and was in command just past the eighth pole, strolling home to a 1 ¾-length victory. It was one of five wins on the day for Ortiz, Jr.

"It was nice to break her maiden in a stake," Clement said. "She belongs to the breeder. She's a black type filly now which is a big deal. The owner [Dick Leahy] has been a big supporter of ours. I used to own the mare Lady Renaissance with him. I'm very happy with that."

Fresco is a full-sister to seven-time stakes-winner Therapist, who also is trained by Clement.

"Therapist is a small chestnut and Fresco is big and bay. That's the rule of the genetics, you breed, and you learn," Clement said.

Clement also sent out first time starter Plum Ali to victory, as well as allowance winner Simplicity, who made her first start in the United States.

Owned by Scott Krase and Peter G. Stokes, Simplicity, a French-bred bay 4-year-old daughter of Casamento, earned an 83 Beyer for her neck victory in a four-horse photo, which took place in a first-level event over the inner turf.

"She trained just fair over the winter and she started to train much better when we went back to New York," Clement said. "She ran well yesterday. She was the best horse in the race. She came from off the pace. They all finished together but she finished better than everyone else."

Clement is no stranger to developing and campaigning horses from overseas. Some of the trainers best horses in the past have been former runners in Europe such as Grade 1-winners Relaxed Gesture, Mauralakana and England's Legend.

"They are all different. The main thing is time. Just give them the time to adapt. That's all," Clement said.

Owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stable and Bethlehem Stables, Plum Ali made her debut a winning one when besting five other juvenile fillies over the inner turf.

Bred in Kentucky by Stone Farm, Plum Ali is by First Samurai out of the Stroll broodmare Skipping - a half-sister to graded stakes winner Meribel, who also was trained by Clement.

"She came from Florida in early June to Saratoga so she was not with us very long," Clement said. "She worked very well from the beginning and trained well from the beginning, so it was a bit of an aggressive move to run her right away, but the good ones can do that."

Clement will attempt a fourth stakes victory of the meet on Saturday afternoon when saddling Call Me Love in the Grade 2, $200,000 Ballston Spa, a race he has won with Danish [1996] and Penny's Gold [2001].

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Volatile will get the ultimate test in Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G1)

After an eye-opening victory in the Aristides at Churchill Downs in his stakes debut, Volatile will get the chance to prove himself against top-flight competition facing three Grade 1 winners in Saturday's Grade 1, $250,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt going six furlongs at Saratoga.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, who won the Vanderbilt with Majesticperfection [2010] and Justin Phillip [2013], Volatile registered a 112 Beyer Speed Figure for his empathic effort in the Aristides, where he broke sharply from his outside post, tracked the pace just a half-length back in third and kicked clear after receiving his cue from jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr., powering home by eight lengths.

"Hopefully he can repeat that performance. If he can, they'll take all the beating, but there are some good horses in there," said Doug Cauthen of Three Chimneys Farm, who co-owns Volatile with Phoenix Thoroughbreds.

Volatile did not see racing action until his sophomore campaign, where he won on debut last July at Ellis Park by three-quarters of a length. Following a defeat in a first level allowance event at Churchill Downs, he returned to the Louisville oval a three-length winner before making his seasonal bow a winning one defeating allowance company by 7 ½ lengths while garnering a 101 Beyer. All five of his starts have taken place around six furlongs.

"He had some issues as a 2-year-old that set him back, so he had a break," Cauthen said. "No chips or anything, but he took some time and a lot of patience was put into him. Steve has done a great job of also being very patient and working through it. God willing, it will pay off."

Bred in Kentucky by Hill n' Dale Equine Holdings and Stretch Run, Volatile is by Violence and is out of the Unbridled's Song broodmare Melody Lady, whose dam was Grade 1-winning millionaire Lady Tak. He was acquired for $850,000 from the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

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By My Standards looking to peak at right time heading into Whitney (G1)

Allied Racing Stable's By My Standards will attempt to achieve what every high-caliber athlete wants: peak at the most opportune moment.

The 4-year-old son of Goldencents will enter his second career Grade 1 appearance with momentum, having registered back-to-back triple digit Beyer Speed Figures, while working towards taking the next step in the $750,000 Whitney on August 1 at historic Saratoga Race Course.

Trainer Bret Calhoun saddled By My Standards to three consecutive wins to start his 2020 campaign, starting when he dominated optional claimers by six lengths at 1 1/16 miles in February at Fair Grounds. That knocked the rust off a nine-month layoff in his first appearance since running 12th in last year's Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

Returning to stakes company on March 21 in the Grade 2 New Orleans Classic at Fair Grounds, By My Standards stayed just off the pace in second position before thundering home a three-length winner.

Another forwardly placed trip resulted in a 1 3/4-length win in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap in May, earning him a personal-best 102 Beyer. In the Grade 2 Stephen Foster on June 27 at Churchill Downs, By My Standards tied that speed figure for his second-place effort in which potential Whitney rival Tom's d'Etat won impressively by 4 1/4 lengths.

Calhoun said By My Standards has trained fine at Churchill since and is in good order preparing for his first career start in New York.

"He came out of the last race really, really well and he's had a couple of easy breezes since," Calhoun said. "He's going to have a good work tomorrow morning hopefully and we'll be set and ready to go. But everything has been going well for him."

Bred in Kentucky by Don Ladd, By My Standards is 5-3-1 in 10 career starts. He also has never finished worse than second in four starts at the Whitney distance of 1 1/8 miles, with all three of his graded stakes wins coming at that length, starting with the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby last year that earned him a spot in the "Run for the Roses." Both of his graded stakes this year, along with the Stephen Foster, were also run at 1 1/8 miles.

"He does exactly what you ask him to do and puts plenty into his training in the mornings, but he's not over the top," Calhoun said. "If you want him to work slow, he'll work slow, and if you want him to work fast, he'll work fast without any encouragement at all. Luckily for us, he's always been a sound, healthy horse."

Along with Tom's d'Etat, the Whitney field will also include 2019 Runhappy Travers-winner Code of Honor, making for a strong group of older contenders.

"The Whitney is an extremely prestigious race and the racing at Saratoga is always prestigious in its own right," Calhoun said. "We're glad to be in position to go up there and compete and we feel like we have an opportunity to win."

Tom Durant's Silver Dust, who ran third in the Stephen Foster, just 2 ¾-lengths behind his stablemate, also continues to train at his Churchill base. The two-time graded stakes-winner was set to make a repeat bid for the Grade 3 West Virginia Governor's at Mountaineer before it was canceled. Calhoun said he's not sure now when the next step would be for the 6-year-old son of Tapit who won the Grade 3 Mineshaft in February.

"He's a horse of mine who this pandemic has probably cost the most," Calhoun said. "We've lost of races where he would have been the chalk in a lot of the spots that have been canceled, so it's been difficult finding spot for him. He seems to be at the top of his game, and we can only keep him there for so long, so it keeps me on edge until we can find the right spots."

Calhoun said they could look at carded grass stakes that have the potential to get moved off the turf.

"Honestly, we don't have a spot at this moment," Calhoun said. "We'll probably nominate to some spots that look like they have the chance to come off the turf. Right now, we don't have a set plan."

While Silver Dust might not be turf bound, the same might not be true for Mr. Big News, who could make his first start on grass in a major race. Also owned by Allied Racing Stable, Mr. Big News has made all seven of his starts on the main track with two wins, including a half-length score in the Oaklawn in April before running sixth in the Grade 2 Blue Grass, a Kentucky Derby prep race, on July 11 at Keeneland.

But Calhoun said the sophomore colt's pedigree - a son of Giant's Causeway out of a Galileo mare - could set up a spot in the $500,000 Saratoga Derby on August 15. The 1 3/8-mile route is part of NYRA's Turf Triple series, which is in its second year.

"He came out of the Blue Grass very well and you've seen his pedigree; it leans towards the turf," Calhoun said. "As long as he was on the Derby trail, we kept him there [on dirt]. He kept taking us along. After this race, it's probably time to switch him to the turf and see if takes another step forward. We're looking at a few options, and the Saratoga Derby is one in consideration. We don't know exactly where we're going, there's two or three options, but I think his next race will be on turf."

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No Parole drills through half-mile work

Maggi Moss and Greg Tramontin's No Parole resumed serious preparations for the Grade 1, $300,000 H. Allen Jerkens presented by Runhappy on Friday morning for trainer Tom Amoss, recording a swift half-mile work in 46.42 seconds over the Saratoga main track under exercise rider Cortez Walker - the fastest of 26 recorded works at the distance.

The sophomore Louisiana-bred son of Violence is unbeaten going one turn and will arrive at the Allen Jerkens off a victory in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens on June 20 at Belmont Park.

"Everything has been pretty easy work wise up until this point. I wanted to give him something nice and sharp," Amoss said. "We asked him to quicken the last eighth and he demanded a pretty good gallop out as well. This was his big work before the race. The pattern we've used has been successful."

A five-time winner of six career starts, No Parole's only defeat took place in the Grade 2 Rebel at Oaklawn Park going a two-turn mile and a sixteenth.

Bred by Couteu Grove Farms, No Parole is out of the stakes-placed Bluegrass Cat broodmare Plus One.

Amoss also stated that last year's Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress will work this weekend for a possible start in the Grade 1, $300,000 Ballerina presented by NYRA Bets - a Breeders' Cup "Win And You're In" event which offers an automatic entry into the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on November 7 at Keeneland.

"We're definitely looking at that," Amoss said.

Serengeti Empress will be making her first start at the Spa since a valiant effort against eventual Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Covfefe in the Grade 1 Test last August.  

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Code of Honor to breeze Monday in preparation for Whitney (G1)

Multiple Grade 1-winner Code of Honor, trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, will breeze Monday in preparation for the Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney, a nine-furlong test for 4-year-olds and up offering an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

"He'll have a blowout on Monday. He's doing well," said McGaughey.

The W.S. Farish homebred son of Noble Mission has compiled a record of 12-6-2-2 with purse earnings of $2,473,320 led by Grade 1 wins in the Runhappy Travers at the Spa and the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park.

The talented chestnut is perfect in two starts at Saratoga where he graduated on debut in August 2018. McGaughey said Code of Honor appreciates racing and training upstate.

"He did really well up here last year. The only time he never run any good was in California [7th, Breeders' Cup Classic] and that wasn't his fault," said McGaughey. "I don't think he has to take his track with him, but he does like this one and he seems to like the atmosphere up here."

Edward Hudson, Jr. and Lynne Hudson's Creed is expected to breeze Saturday with an eye towards a start in the Grade 2, $150,000 Jim Dandy at nine furlongs for sophomores on September 5.

The lightly-raced ridgling graduated at second asking on June 11 at Belmont Park earning a career-best 89 Beyer in a 1 1/16-mile maiden on a muddy track and followed up with an impressive optional-claiming score at the same distance on July 2 at Belmont that garnered an 87 Beyer.

"He's doing well. I'll probably point Creed to the Jim Dandy," said McGaughey.

Phipps Stable's Breaking the Rules and Emory Hamilton's Hungry Kitten breezed a half-mile in 49.57 Friday on the Oklahoma training turf.

Breaking the Rules, a 5-year-old War Front horse, won the Tropical Park Derby on the Gulfstream Park turf in December 2018 and followed up with a second in the Grade 3 Canadian Turf in March 2019. He returned off a one-year layoff on June 20 to win an optional-claiming event at nine furlongs on the Belmont turf, besting graded-stakes winner Digital Age and garnering a career-best 97 Beyer.

Hungry Kitten, a 4-year-old Kitten's Joy chestnut, graduated in May 2019 on the Churchill Downs turf. She stretched out to 10 furlongs for the first time on July 9 at Belmont and kicked clear comfortably to win an allowance on the Belmont turf by 2 1/2-lengths.

"I thought they both breezed very well," said McGaughey. "I'd like to run Breaking the Rules in an allowance race and then come back in the Lure [September 7, Closing Day]. He's always been a nice horse, but he had some problems and we had to give him some time off. He won a stake as a 3-year-old."

Breaking the Rules will exit post 7 under Hall of Famer John Velazquez in Wednesday's ninth race, an allowance optional-claiming event at 1 1/16-miles on the inner turf.

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Pat On the Back will turn back in distance in John Morrissey

Harold Lerner, AWC Stables and Nehoc Stables's New York-bred millionaire Pat On the Back will make his second start off the layoff in the Wednesday's $85,000 John Morrissey, a seven-furlong sprint for state-breds 3-years-old and up.

Trained by Jeremiah Englehart, the 6-year-old chestnut was off-the-board last out in the one-turn mile Commentator on June 12 at Belmont Park. A versatile type, Pat On the Back has won at distances ranging from six to nine furlongs, but has competed mostly at distances of one mile or longer the last three seasons.

Englehart said he is hoping Pat On the Back will benefit from the race and extra conditioning, including a half-mile breeze in 47.83 on the main track Thursday in company with Captain Bombastic.

"It's probably not his best distance but I think staying with New York-breds and a one-turn seven-eighths up here will give him his best shot of getting a 'W,'" said Englehart. "I'm beginning to find out that being off because of the coronavirus for two months, a lot of these horses have needed a race and more works. I'm hoping that first race we ran him long in the Commentator really wasn't an indication of how well he can do this year. Hopefully, this will be a step in the right direction."

The popular Pat On the Back, bred in the Empire State by Sugar Maple Farm, made the grade in September in the Grade 2 Kelso traveling one mile at Belmont. By Congrats and out of the Awesome Again mare Accomplished, Pat On the Back has compiled a record of 29-9-4-6 with purse earnings of $1,143,270.

Englehart has a pair of contenders in Captain Bombastic and Three Technique for the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial presented by Runhappy, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomores on August 1.

August Dawn Farm's Three Technique, a Kentucky-bred son of Mr Speaker, graduated at third asking last summer at the Spa in a seven-furlong maiden. He stretched out to a mile for his seasonal debut when second in the Smarty Jones and followed up with a fourth in the Grade 2 Rebel contested at 1 1/16-miles on a sloppy Oaklawn track.

Team Hanley's Captain Bombastic, bred in New York by Chester and Mary Broman, captured the Sleepy Hollow in October in just his second start. The Forty Tales chestnut made a pair of optional-claiming starts at Oaklawn to start his sophomore campaign finishing second in both. Last out, he made a victorious return to New York with a commanding 1 1/4-length win in the restricted Mike Lee.

"It looks like a pretty salty race. Three Technique is coming off a layoff and I just haven't been able to find another spot that I liked. He'll work tomorrow and if he gives me a good work, I'll be gung ho for the race," said Englehart. "Captain Bombastic has been doing well. He deserves a shot at some point against these horses going seven furlongs."

Risky Mischief breezed a half-mile in 53.02 on the Oklahoma training turf Friday in company with Reticent.

The Into Mischief filly, out of the multiple stakes-winning Limehouse mare Risky Rachel, was purchased for $350,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale.

The bay showed great potential on debut with a geared-down 7 1/2-length score last summer at Saratoga in a six-furlong maiden tilt restricted to fellow state-breds. She followed up with a sixth in the Grade 1 Spinaway to complete her juvenile campaign and returned to action on June 28 when fourth in the seven-furlong Bouwerie at Belmont.

Englehart said he will look to enter Risky Mischief in an allowance event for her turf debut.

"She's a filly that's been working well all along. She bled a little bit in her last race and she has a history of that," said Englehart. "I galloped her over the grass the other day and she seemed to enjoy it and today, on the gallop out, I thought she was really impressive. The time for the half was average but she was well in hand and we let her stretch her legs on the gallop out."