Churchill Downs Stakes Recaps & Quotes: Tom’s d’Etat Powers Home in Grade I, $600,000 Clark

By Darren Rogers —-

TOM’S d’ETAT POWERS HOME TO EASILY WIN GRADE I, $600,000 CLARK AT CHURCHILL

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Friday, Nov. 29, 2019) – It was all Tom’s d’Etat in Friday’s 145th running of the $600,000 Clark Presented by Norton Healthcare (Grade I) at Churchill Downs as the 4-5 favorite powered his way to front at the top of the stretch and drew clear in the stretch for a comfortable 3 ¼-length victory over 3-year-old Owendale, who closed from last to edge Mr Freeze for second.

Owned by Gayle Benson’s G M B Racing and named for her late husband Tom Benson, 6-year-old Tom’s d’Etat clocked 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:48.84 in hand late under jockey Joel Rosario, who rode the winner for trainer Al Stall Jr.

The lofty $349,680 first prize lifted the bay Kentucky-bred’s earnings to millionaire status: $1,236,572 from a record of 9-2-1 in 16 starts.

“There are a lot of Grade I horses in this game that don’t make Grade I races,” said Stall, who also won the 2009 Clark with eventual 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) winner Blame. “To have a horse like this is extremely special for our entire barn. The care this horse gets day in and day out is amazing.”

Leaving the gate, Mr. Buff emerged as the early leader into the first turn with Mr. Freeze, Fact Finding and Major Cabbie in close pursuit. As Mr. Buff led the field of 11 horses through early quarter-mile splits of :23.02, :47.43 and 1:11.82, Tom’s d’Etat, who broke from post position No. 2, was covered up a couple lengths back of that front-running pack while racing down on the inside. Around the turn, Rosario moved Tom’s d’Etat into contention and he surged between Major Cabbie and the come-backing Bravazo while three-wide to quickly ascend into the lead with a quarter of a mile to run. He decisively coasted home down the lane and “conquered the Clark,” as track announcer Travis Stone declared.

“He ran unbelievable,” said Rosario, who added the Clark to his impressive career résumé. “It was such a good effort from him tonight to be able to sit behind the speed like that. He had such a strong kick in the stretch and won easily.”

Tom’s d’Etat rewarded his backers with mutuels of $3.80, $3 and $2.40. Owendale, with Florent Geroux up, returned $4.60 and $3.60 as the 5-1 second betting choice. Mr Freeze, under Robby Albarado, paid $4.40 to show.

California invader Draft Pick finished fourth and was followed by Major Cabbie, 2017 Clark winner Seeking the Soul, Mocito Rojo, Bravazo, Snapper Sinclair, Mr. Buff and Fact Finding. Pioneer Spirit was scratched.

This was the first Grade I win and second graded stakes victory of the year for Tom’s d’Etat, who previously won the $200,000 Fayette (GII) at Keeneland five weeks ago.

Stall said there are many options for Tom’s d’Etat that include the new $20 million Saudi Cup over 1 1/8 miles on Feb. 29, $12 million Dubai World Cup (GI) at 1 ¼ miles on March 28, major stateside races and, possibly, retirement for a stallion career at stud.

Tom’s d’Etat is son of Smart Strike out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Julia Tuttle and was bred by SF Bloodstock LLC.

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NAY LADY NAY PREVAILS IN GRADE II, $300,000 MRS. REVERE

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Friday, Nov. 29, 2019) – Nay Lady Nay (IRE) sliced her way between rivals Dalika (GER) and The Mackem Bullet (IRE) in deep stretch to win Saturday’s 29th running of the $300,000 Mrs. Revere (Grade II) at Churchill Downs by a half-length.

Owned by Steve Laymon’s First Row Partners and James Hall’s Hidden Brook Farm, Nay Lady Nay (IRE) ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:48.52 over a Matt Winn Turf Course rated “yielding” – the slowest Mrs. Revere in history – to collect her second stakes win and first against graded company. Junior Alvarado rode the winner for trainer Chad Brown, who also had 2-1 favorite New and Improved in the race but the Sands Point (GII) winner finished seventh.

Nay Lady Nay (IRE), who previously won the $75,700 Parx Fall Oaks, banked the $172,980 first prize and rewarded her backers with $2 mutuels of $16.80, $7.40 and $5.60 as the 7-1 fourth betting choice in the field of 12 3-year-old fillies.

Hard Legacy, winner of the Regret (GIII) in June, carved out fractions of :24.54, :50.25 and 1:16.42 as Nay Lady Nay (IRE) relaxed in mid-pack along the inside hedge down the backstretch. Off the far turn, The Mackem Bullet (IRE) challenged Hard Legacy for the lead with Dalika (GER) soon to take over from the outside with a furlong to run. But Nay Lady Lady (IRE), who was finding her best stride after swinging out to the four-path, split between Dalika (GER) and The Mackem Bullet (IRE) inside the sixteenth pole and edged clear in the final stages.

“Anytime you ride a horse for Chad Brown you know it’ll be ready to roll,” Alvarado said. “She broke very good and had a nice kick at the end. She got over the going very well and had a nice kick at the end to get us home.”

The victory was Brown’s 10th graded stakes win of the year with a 3-year-old filly on turf (six different fillies). The others were the GIII Herecomesthebride (Cambier Parc); GIII Soaring Softly (Seek and Destroy); GIII Wonder Again (Cambier Parc); GIII Lake George (Regal Glory); GIII Pucker Up (Café Americano); GI Del Mar Oaks (Cambier Parc); GII Lake Placid (Regal Glory); GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (Cambier Parc); and GII Sands Point (New and Improved)

Runner-up Dalika (GER), under Luis Saez, paid $6.40 and $5.20. The Mackem Bullet (IRE), ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, was another 1 ½ lengths back in third and paid $3.60 to show.

Hard Legacy was fourth and was followed by Winning Envelope, She’sonthewarpath, New and Improved, Delta’s Kingdom, Julia’s Ready, Wildlife, Proud Emma and Amandrea. Winter Sunset and Passionof the Nile were scratched.

The winner’s share of the purse pushed Nay Lady Nay (IRE)’s earnings to $265,180 from a record of 3-1-0 in five starts.

Nay Lady Nay (IRE) is a dark bay or brown daughter of No Nay Never out of the English Channel mare Lady Ederle who was bred in Ireland by Stephen Sullivan.

The Mrs. Revere is named in honor of Mrs. Revere, an accomplished Churchill Downs fan favorite in the mid-1980s. Mrs. Revere won 12 races in 28 starts, finished second seven times and earned $429,545 for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Her six wins in a dozen starts at Churchill Downs included stakes triumphs in the Regret, Dogwood and Edgewood in 1984 and the Kentucky Cardinal in 1985. She was owned by Drs. David Richardson and Hiram Polk, who have provided the winner’s trophy for the Mrs. Revere in each year of its existence.

CLARK HANDICAP QUOTES

Joel Rosario, jockey of TOM’S d’ETAT (winner): “He ran unbelievable. It was such a good effort from him tonight to be able to sit behind the speed like that. He had such a strong kick in the stretch and won easily.”

Al Stall Jr., trainer of TOM’S d’ETAT (winner): “There are a lot of Grade I horses in this game that don’t make Grade I races. To have a horse like this is extremely special for our entire barn. The care this horse gets day in and day out is amazing. I’m surprised he doesn’t gain more weight with how often he gets to graze. (The Pegasus World Cup) was on a funky racetrack in January. He ended up getting a pretty bad abcess in his hind and he just wasn’t right after the race. We saw some footage of him training and knew he wasn’t right. He was able to take care of himself in that race and we were able to give him the time off he needed to heal from the injury and doing right by him shows us how important that can be – look where we are now.”

Florent Geroux., jockey of OWENDALE (runner-up): “It was a good effort closing ground into that pace. I got him down to the rail at the end and he was able to rally for second. I don’t think we would’ve caught the winner but he ran a good effort.”

Brad Cox, trainer of OWENDALE (runner-up): “We’re very proud of him. He was able to rebound from the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) and run a very good effort today against this type of competition when he’s only 3-years-old.”

Dale Romans, trainer of MR FREEZE (third): “Thought we had them there for a second. He ran a great race against a really quality field. There are some nice horses in this race and (Tom’s d’Etat) is a really quality horse.”

Joe Talamo, jockey of DRAFT PICK (fourth): “It was a good effort and he tried the entire way.”

Dallas Stewart, trainer of SEEKING THE SOUL (sixth): “He just wasn’t good enough tonight.”

MRS. REVERE QUOTES

Junior Alvarado, jockey of NAY LADY NAY (winner): “Anytime you ride a horse for Chad Brown you know it’ll be ready to roll. She broke very good and had a nice kick at the end. She got over the going very well and had a nice kick at the end to get us home.”

Luis Saez, jockey of DALIKA (runner-up): “She tried hard the entire way but (Nay Lady Nay) was able to get through and we couldn’t quite hold her off.”

Al Stall Jr., trainer of DALIKA (runner-up): “She ran a great race. We’re really proud of her effort. She showed a lot of grit and determination. (Nay Lady Nay) was just able to get through in the final stages.”

Tyler Gaffalione, jockey of THE MACKEM BULLET (third): “We sat a very good trip and ran very well. When those other horses got to her in the stretch she kept fighting but couldn’t hold them off.”

Joel Rosario, jockey of NEW AND IMPROVED (seventh as 2-1 favorite): “I don’t think she really got over the surface well. She never was able to pick up her stride.”