Tom’s d’Etat is shaping up to be one of the best older horses in the country. He captured his third straight stakes victory last weekend in the Oaklawn Mile, a non-graded stakes event that will surely become graded in the future.
There is no better time than now to get to know this horse with ten facts about his life, pedigree, and racing career.
Tom’s d’Etat was sired by Smart Strike, a Grade 1 winner and half-brother to Canadian Triple Crown Champion Dance Smartly. Smart Strike was a very successful sire, producing horses like Curlin and being the damsire of horses like Mine That Bird. Tom’s d’Etat’s dam Julia Tuttle (Giant’s Causeway) is out of Candy Cane, who is a full-sister to leading sire Candy Ride.
He was born on March 7, 2013 to breeders SF Bloodstock. GMB Racing purchased him for $330,000 at the 2014 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Tom’s d’Etat broke his maiden at Saratoga in August of 2016. That victory was followed up with three wins in four starts at the Allowance level in 2017.
Ankle injuries kept the horse out of the races from July 2017 to November 2018. When he finally did return in an Allowance race at Churchill Downs, he won. He followed that up with his first stakes victory in the Tenacious Stakes.
Tom’s d’Etat made his graded stakes debut in the 2019 Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) as a six-year old. He ultimately finished ninth.
Though he finished ninth in the Pegasus World Cup, Tom’s d’Etat proved he was worthy of graded stakes company by hitting the board in the Alysheba Stakes (G2) and Stephen Foster Stakes (G2), both at Churchill Downs.
Tom’s d’Etat won his first graded stakes race at Keeneland in the Hagyard Fayette Stakes (G2). Trainer Albert Stall described the victory to BloodHorse with, "Unfortunately, it took six years to get him there, but we persevered. The Bensons (of G M B Racing) have been very patient over the years. Whatever little nick he had, we rehabbed him and brought him back and just took our time. We've never, ever put the slightest bit of pressure on him. He's always come to us, so we've been rewarded. That's how this game works every so often."
He won his first Grade 1 victory in the Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs in November of 2019.
Horse & jockey team Tom’s d’Etat and Joel Rosario have been undefeated when working together, winning five races.
According to Equibase, Tom’s d’Etat has a record of 17: 10-2-1 and earnings of more than $1.3 million.
According to Horse Racing Nation, Tom's d'Etat will be pointed towards the Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs if the track opens as planned. He will likely follow that up with another try in the Stephen Foster (G2), a prep for his ultimate goal of the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). The Classic is to be held at Keeneland, the same track at which he won his first graded stakes race.
Though this year has been filled with uncertainty so far, there are no doubts on whether or not this horse is talented. Keep your eyes on him, you won't want to miss what he has in store.
[Video: Watch Tom's d'Etat (#3) win the Oaklawn Mile]
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