Tom's d'Etat returns to work tab

While many of North America’s leading older-male dirt horses are heading off to the Arabian Peninsula for the $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 29 and the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 28, Tom’s d’Etat is chilling in New Orleans.

The lightly raced 7-year-old ended his 2019 campaign with sharp wins in the Grade 2 Fayette at Keeneland and the Grade 1 Clark at Churchill on Nov. 29, had an easy December after being shipped to Fair Grounds, and on Feb. 1 posted his first workout since the Clark when he breezed three furlongs in 38 seconds under Miguel Mena.

“The plan for a while was to breeze him the start of February if we had good weather,” said Al Stall, who trains Tom’s d’Etat for Gayle Benson’s GMB Racing. “I told the rider to go in 38, and he went in 38. Hopefully, we’re going to pick up the pace from here.”

Stall said if all goes well, Tom’s d’Etat will make his first start this year either in the New Orleans Handicap on March 21 or the Ben Ali on April 11 at Keeneland. The Ben Ali is a Grade 3 worth $200,000 but holds appeal because Tom’s d’Etat performed well over a sloppy Keeneland surface last October in the Fayette and because the Breeders’ Cup Classic will be contested at Keeneland in 2020.

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While Tom’s d’Etat is older than most leading handicap horses in North America, he’s raced only 16 times (winning nine of those races) owing to a series of infirmities more nagging than major during his earlier years. Tom’s d’Etat during 2019 put together the first full campaign of his career, racing seven times from January to November.

Meanwhile, Stall continues to point the crack sprinter Bobby’s Wicked One to the $600,000 Count Fleet Sprint on April 11 at Oaklawn Park. Bobby’s Wicked One captured the Thanksgiving Classic on opening day of the Fair Grounds meet, earning a 100 Beyer Speed Figure, and won the Duncan Kenner on Jan. 18 by more than four lengths, earning a 103 Beyer. Bobby’s Wicked One hasn’t posted a workout since, but Stall said all’s well with the 5-year-old Speightstown horse, who will have a workout in the next couple weeks.

Also residing in Stall’s Fair Grounds string is the progressive 4-year-old Real News, who appears to have found a home turf sprinting. He captured a second-level Fair Grounds allowance race earlier this meet before winning a $100,000 stakes Jan. 26 at Houston. Real News will have short breather as Stall aims him at the $200,000 Shakertown over 5 1/2 furlongs on turf April 4 at Keeneland.

Finally, look for the Stall-trained second-start maiden winner Sharecropper to emerge in a nine-furlong first-level dirt allowance race for 3-year-olds on the Feb. 15 card at Fair Grounds. Sharecropper had to be scratched from a Dec. 21 allowance after getting sick shortly before the race. In November, he won a two-turn Churchill maiden race by a neck after pulling himself up upon making the lead in deep stretch.