Tom's d'Etat taking easier option in Alydar Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Al Stall Jr. could easily have been tempted to try his injury prone but talented Tom’s d’Etat in next Saturday’s Grade 1 Whitney. After all, the 6-year-old son of Smart Strike is perfect in two starts at Saratoga and is coming off a game third-place finish behind Seeking the Soul in the Grade 2 Stephen Foster six weeks earlier at Churchill Downs.

But Stall will take the more conservative route with Tom’s d’Etat and run him in the $100,000 Alydar Stakes here next Friday. Tom’s d’Etat, who is stabled in Kentucky, tuned up for that assignment by working an easy half-mile in 49.60 seconds Friday morning at Churchill Downs.

:: Get PPs, Clocker Reports, picks, and more from DRF's Saratoga/Del Mar One-Stop Shop

“The Whitney looks like a pretty stellar cast, and I just want to try to win a race with him before we jump into that kind of company,” Stall said. “He’s been close to some really nice horses, but I just wanted to give him a little class relief for his next start. We’ll see how that goes and then figure out what to do after that. He’s kind of a race-to-race type of horse.”

Tom’s d’Etat won his maiden in his Saratoga debut in August 2016 and a high-level optional-claiming race by nine lengths the following summer. He was sidelined for an extended period following both victories.

“He’s had some bone bruising in the ankle along with some foot issues, a bunch of small things, basically, that’s all it’s been. But naturally it’s been frustrating for us,” said Stall, who trains Tom’s d’Etat for G M B Racing. “But he’s trained well coming out of the Foster. This morning was just a little blowout type of half-mile, and I’m really looking forward to running him here on Friday.”