Tom's d'Etat, Mr. Money begin their seasons in Oaklawn Mile

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The road to the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic starts Saturday for Tom’s d’Etat, who launches his season against 13 rivals in the $150,000 Oaklawn Mile.

Tom’s d’Etat faces a fellow Grade 1 winner in Improbable, and fellow millionaires Mr. Money and Snapper Sinclair. The field also includes stakes winners Pioneer Spirit, Bankit, Long Range Toddy, Boldor, and Fight On, while Slick Silver goes for his seventh straight win after refusing to lose a starter allowance here March 28.

Tom’s d’Etat is making his first start since capturing the Grade 1 Clark on Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs. He was freshened with the intent of a campaign focusing on the second half of 2020, said trainer Al Stall Jr.

“The Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland is our ultimate goal,” Stall said of the Nov. 7 race.

Tom’s d’Etat was scheduled to make his first start of the year Saturday in the Ben Ali at Keeneland. But the spring season at the Lexington, Ky., track was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic and owner G M B Racing and Stall turned to the Oaklawn Mile.

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“We’ve been pointing for April 11 from basically Dec. 1,” Stall said. “We made the date – in a different area code and time zone.”

The Oaklawn Mile for 4-year-olds and up shares a card with the $200,000 Oaklawn Stakes for 3-year-olds on a 12-race card that has a special first post of 12:35 p.m. Central.

KEY CONTENDERS

Tom’s d’Etat, by Smart Strike

Last 3 Beyers: 105-106-104

◗ Tom’s d’Etat, 7, was last seen winning over a mile and an eighth down the long stretch of the Clark. He will be cutting back in distance for his return in this race, which has a short stretch run and ends at the sixteenth pole.

“He’s got speed if you want to have speed,” Stall said. “He usually breaks well. I think he’ll be fine. You have to start somewhere.

“If you look at his races, he’s usually made the lead at the head of the stretch. He was very push-button last year. I’m hoping he’s like that this year.”

◗ Stall noted Tom’s d’Etat won at a mile off a layoff in 2018. The horse won an optional $100,000 claiming race at one turn at Churchill, in 1:34.85.

◗ Tom’s d’Etat will break from post 3 under Joel Rosario. Rosario is 4 for 4 on the horse, among his wins the Clark and the Grade 2 Fayette at Keeneland.

“He’s a very instinctive rider,” said Stall.

Mr. Money, by Goldencents

Last 3 Beyers: 90-98-99

◗ Mr. Money, a four-time Grade 3 winner who leads the field in earnings with more than $1.2 million, also starts his season Saturday – and his road to the Breeders’ Cup. The goal is the Dirt Mile, said Bret Calhoun, who trains the horse for Allied Racing Stable.

“We freshened him to point toward a long 4-year-old campaign and the fact that the Breeders’ Cup is held at Keeneland. I would put our thought process on that, how to get there the best way,” Calhoun said. “This is a good spot to get started.

“I think we’ll try to keep him at a mile to a mile and an eighth this year, depending on race availability.”

◗ Mr. Money last raced Nov. 2, finishing seventh in the BC Dirt Mile at Santa Anita. The runner-up Omaha Beach and the eighth-place finisher Diamond Ops returned in their next out to win a graded stakes. “The Breeders’ Cup is a race we’ve kind of drawn a line through,” Calhoun said. “It was the tail end of his campaign. He had a very, very strong year and was sharp for a long period of time.

“He didn’t really love that track that day, but maybe he was tailing off on me, also.”

◗ Gabriel Saez has the mount on Mr. Money from post 2. The colt has been working at Fair Grounds.

“It’s a new surface for him,” Calhoun said. “He was pretty consistent on a lot of different surfaces last year. If he handles the surface, we’ll be forwardly placed, in the first flight of horses. He’ll be a little fresh.”

Improbable, by City Zip

Last 3 Beyers: 93-96-104

◗ Improbable, who exits a fifth-place finish in the BC Dirt Mile, had been set to start his season at home at Santa Anita in the Santana Mile on March 28. But racing was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic and Improbable was rerouted to Oaklawn.

“He’s been working really well,” trainer Bob Baffert said Tuesday from Southern California. “I had him in a great spot here, and that race was canceled.”

◗ Improbable was last seen at Oaklawn a year ago this week, running second in the Arkansas Derby. Baffert likes how he’s developed at 4.

“I think he’s improved a lot – he’s matured a lot,” Baffert said. “He’s filled out. He’s moving really well. He looks great.”

◗ Improbable is set to start from post 14 under Drayden Van Dyke.