Mo Tom likely to target Risen Star after Lecomte triumph

NEW ORLEANS – Twice Tom Amoss passed by Mo Tom’s stall Saturday afternoon and found the colt lying down sleeping.

“I was starting to get worried,” Amoss said.

On Sunday at about 9 a.m., a visitor walked down to stall 17 in Amoss’s barn to feed Mo Tom a peppermint, and there he was again, lying down snoozing. But this time, Mo Tom had every right to catch some rest, having impressively won the Lecomte Stakes early Saturday evening.

The race earned Mo Tom 10 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby and more importantly showed off a still-immature colt who from all the evidence continues to change for the better. Mo Tom got a career-best 88 Beyer Speed Figure for running one mile and 70 yards in 1:43.18, a very solid time on a track that wasn’t particularly fast Saturday.

Mo Tom came out of the Lecomte in good shape, Amoss said, and the plan is to run him back next month in the Risen Star Stakes. Amoss said Mo Tom probably would have two timed workouts before the Risen Star.

Mo Tom led an exacta sweep for Gayle Benson’s GMB Racing, with Tom's Ready finishing second. Tom’s Ready also is being pointed to the Risen Star, trainer Dallas Stewart said Sunday morning, and third-place finisher Uncle Walter is expected back for the race as well. Trainer Mike Maker, who was pleased with Uncle Walter’s stakes and two-turn debut, said Uncle Walter would return to his string in Florida to train and ship back for the Risen Star shortly before the race.

Also headed back to Florida but likely to return to Fair Grounds for the Mineshaft Handicap next month is International Star, who was an impressive winner over Eagle in the Louisiana Stakes. International Star earned a career-best 100 Beyer while showing massive improvement over his long-layoff comeback race in the Zia Park Derby. Asked if he anticipated the sort of performance International Star delivered Saturday, Maker said he “thought he’d run like that last time, really.” International Star won the Louisiana Derby last March, is unbeaten in four Fair Grounds starts, and rates as a top contender for the New Orleans Handicap.

Eagle, giving six pounds to the winner, ran well in defeat, finishing far in front of all the other horses in the Louisiana after becoming a bit unbalanced when asked to change leads at the top of the stretch. As Eagle briefly raced erratically, International Star attacked, and Eagle never could get back on terms.

Plans for Chocolate Ride, winner of the Grade 3 Colonel Bradley, are uncertain, trainer Brad Cox said. The Fair Grounds grass probably had more give than Chocolate Ride prefers, and he had to run a fast opening quarter-mile to make the lead from an inside draw, but despite facing several challenges, Chocolate Ride won by three-quarters of a length, posting a 95 Beyer. Chocolate Ride won the Mervin Muniz at Fair Grounds last March, and while he is possible for that race, connections also are considering the Grade 1 Makers 46 Mile at Keeneland in April. Chocolate Ride is a possible starter next month in the Fair Grounds Handicap.

Stageplay got an 82 Beyer for her 1 1/4-length win in the Silverbulletday Stakes and came out of the race well, assistant trainer Scott Blasi said Sunday morning. If all goes well, she will run back in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes next month. Midnight On Oconee, who set the pace and held second, also is a likely Rachel Alexandra runner.