Grade I winner Tom's d'Etat (Smart Strike) picked up where he left off in 2019, pouncing late to deny 'TDN Rising Star' Improbable (City Zip) in the Oaklawn Mile S. Saturday. Saving ground, the 4-5 chalk bided his time well back off the pace in mid-pack as Pioneer Spirit (Malibu Moon) and Boldor (Munnings) traded blows through opening splits of :22.90 and :46.09. Grade I-winning Improbable (City Zip), who had been stalking wide throughout, pounced on the pacesetter on the backstretch to take control heading into the far turn. Meanwhile, Tom's d'Etat was making rapid progress on the outside on the backstretch run and came charging after a now well-clear Improbable, running him down late to score by 3/4 of a length.
Winner of Saratoga's Alydar S. Aug. 2, Tom's d'Etat was fourth in the GI Woodward S. at the Spa 29 days later. Returning to winning ways in a sloppy renewal of Keeneland's GII Fayette S. Oct. 26, he scored his first win at the highest level when last seen in the GI Clark S. Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs.
Pedigree Notes:
Tom's d'Etat is one of 70 graded winners and 135 stakes winner for his late sire Smart Strike. He is also one of 72 graded victors and 137 stakes victors for his late broodmare sire Giant's Causeway. Stakes winner Julia Tuttle is also responsible for the 3-year-old colt Lokoya Road (Quality Road), a yearling filly by Connect and a 2020 colt by Nyquist. This is also the family of MGISW sire Candy Ride (Arg).
Saturday, Oaklawn Park
OAKLAWN MILE S., $150,000, Oaklawn, 4-11, 4yo/up, 1m, 1:35.83, wf.
1–TOM'S D'ETAT, 122, h, 7, by Smart Strike
1st Dam: Julia Tuttle (SW & GSP, $188,051), by Giant's Causeway
2nd Dam: Candy Cane (Arg), by Ride the Rails
3rd Dam: Candy Girl (Arg), by Candy Stripes
($330,000 Ylg '14 KEESEP). O-G M B Racing; B-SF Bloodstock
LLC (KY); T-Albert M. Stall, Jr.; J-Joel Rosario. $90,000. Lifetime
Record: GISW, 17-10-2-1, $1,326,572.
2–Improbable, 122, c, 4, City Zip–Rare Event, by A.P. Indy.
($110,000 Wlg '16 KEENOV; $200,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP).
'TDN Rising Star' O-WinStar Farm LLC, CHC Inc. & SF Racing
LLC; B-St. George Farm LLC & G. Watts Humphrey Jr. (KY);
T-Bob Baffert. $30,000.
3–Bankit, 122, c, 4, Central Banker–Sister in Arms, by Colonel
John. ($85,000 Ylg '17 SARAUG; $260,000 2yo '18 OBSMAR).
O-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC & Willis Horton Racing LLC;
B-Hidden Brook Farm, LLC & Blue Devil Racing (NY); T-Steven
M. Asmussen. $15,000.
Margins: 3/4, 2, 4HF. Odds: 0.80, 3.40, 14.00.
Also Ran: Pioneer Spirit, Slick Silver, Mr. Money, Long Range Toddy, Snapper Sinclair, Fight On, Lord Guinness, Boldor. Scratched: Home Run Trick, Kershaw, M G Warrior.
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