Santa Anita: Tom's Tribute enters Uniformity Stakes on the improve

ARCADIA, Calif. – Tom’s Tribute was shut out once from a big turf stakes. Trainer Jim Cassidy will try not to let it happen again.

Tom’s Tribute is quietly developing into a top turf horse who would have fit perfectly Nov. 1 in the $150,000 Twilight Derby at 1 1/8 miles. But he might not make the cut, which is why Cassidy cuts him back to a sprint Sunday at Santa Anita.

“The whole thing is, I’m not sure [Tom’s Tribute] can get into the Twilight, and I don’t want to happen what happened at Del Mar,” Cassidy said.

It happened Sept. 1 when Tom’s Tribute was entered in the $250,000 Del Mar Derby but did not draw into the oversubscribed race, in which preference was given to horses that won or placed in graded stakes. Tom’s Tribute has never run in a stakes.

A similar dilemma with similar conditions was unfolding for the Twilight Derby, and an overflow of nominations was expected when they closed Saturday. Cassidy decided not to wait. He entered Tom’s Tribute in the $70,000 Uniformity Stakes on Sunday.

Six were entered in the 6 1/2-furlong downhill turf sprint for 3-year-olds, and Tom’s Tribute faces a good group, including stakes winners Procurement, Rosengold, and Miceli. The outsiders are Appealing Tale and Salutos Amigos.

Although he is the least experienced horse in the Uniformity field, 2-for-5 Tom’s Tribute has displayed above-average ability. He is fast enough to win a sprint, even though his recent campaign has been around two turns.

Cassidy is confident that Tom’s Tribute will be at home in a turf sprint.

“He’ll be fine,” Cassidy said. “He relaxes in his races.”

Another option for Cassidy was to consider a dirt race.

“Someone asked me the other day if I would go in the Damascus,” Cassidy said, referring to the Nov. 2 dirt sprint for 3-year-olds. “I said, ‘What am I going to go seven-eighths on the dirt for after what he has done on the turf?’ Right now, I am fine with the grass.”

Tom’s Tribute has been more than fine. He finished a troubled second in a Del Mar allowance July 27 and second again there Aug. 18. Reunited with jockey Mike Smith on Sept. 29 at Santa Anita, Tom’s Tribute scored a flashy allowance win at one mile.

The son of Lion Heart is owned by Marilyn Brulay and named in honor of her late husband, Tom Brulay. They campaigned multiple Grade 1 winner Evening Jewel, who was trained by Cassidy.

Procurement makes his first start since finishing fourth in the Del Mar Derby. A 3-for-12 colt trained by Tom Proctor, Procurement will be ridden by Gary Stevens.

Rosengold has a chance to steal it. He set the pace Sept. 29 in the Grade 3 Eddie D Stakes against older and drops in company Sunday as the controlling speed under Martin Garcia. Julio Canani trains.