Tom's Tribute tries to turn things around in San Gabriel

ARCADIA, Calif. – Tom’s Tribute ended the summer as the top turf miler in California. By late autumn, his status had diminished after losses in two major races.

A winter campaign for the 5-year-old Tom’s Tribute begins in Saturday’s $200,000 San Gabriel Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita. The Grade 2 San Gabriel probably will be the longest race for Tom’s Tribute in the near future. Trainer Jim Cassidy hopes to run Tom’s Tribute in one-mile turf races in the coming months.

“He’s a grass horse,” Cassidy said Thursday. “He doesn’t handle the dirt at all.”

Tom’s Tribute has won 6 of 15 starts and earned $622,880. Last summer at Del Mar, he won the Grade 1 Eddie Read Stakes and the Del Mar Mile. He is one of six 2014 stakes winners among nine horses in the San Gabriel.

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KEY CONTENDERS

Tom’s Tribute (Last 3 Beyers: 93-99-97)

◗ The wins at Del Mar were followed by a seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Mile here Nov. 1 and a third-place finish as the 3-2 favorite in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar on Nov. 28. Tom’s Tribute emerged from the Seabiscuit with a minor injury.

“He got cut up in the race, and I think that’s a good excuse,” Cassidy said. “He was cut from the hock to the foot.”

◗A closer, Tom’s Tribute has trained well in recent weeks, Cassidy said. A successful race Saturday could lead to a start in the $200,000 Arcadia Stakes over a mile on turf Jan. 31.

“He doesn’t give you any indication that something is wrong,” Cassidy said. “If he runs good, I might wheel him back in the Arcadia.”

Edge of Reality (Last 3 Beyers: 93-93-92)

◗Won stakes for Pennsylvania-breds at Presque Isle Downs and Parx Racing in 2014. Trained by Graham Motion, Edge of Reality was fifth in the Tropical Park Handicap at Gulfstream Park West on Nov. 22. The San Gabriel will be Edge of Reality’s first start in California.

“I think his races have improved,” Motion said. “I like this grass race. I don’t know how he’ll stack up against the California horses.”

Dynamic Sky (Last 3 Beyers: 102-99-99)

◗Dynamic Sky has not run in a race this short since a second in the Grade 2 Nijinsky Stakes at Woodbine last July. In his final four starts of 2014, Dynamic Sky ran at distances from 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 miles, winning the Grade 3 Red Smith Handicap over 1 3/8 miles on turf at Aqueduct on Nov. 15.

Finnegans Wake (Last 3 Beyers: 99-96-93)

◗The shorter distance will be a test for Finnegans Wake, who won the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup over 1 1/2 miles at Del Mar on Nov. 27. Finnegans Wake won over 1 1/8 miles on turf in an allowance race at Churchill Downs in 2012 before joining trainer Peter Miller’s stable.

“I don’t think this is his optimum distance,” Miller said. “The horse is sharp, and there is some speed in there.”