Tom’s d’Etat hits milestone in winning $600,000 Clark Handicap (G1)
November 29, 2019 November 30, 2019
Back to Our News PageKentucky-bred Tom’s d’Etat wrapped up 2019 as racing’s newest millionaire with his 3 1/4-length victory in the $600,000 Clark H. (G1) on Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs.
The victory was also the first Grade 1 win for the 6-year-old son of Smart Strike, who also won the Fayette S. (G2) and Alydar S. at Saratoga this year. Friday’s $349,680 payday upped the bay’s lifetime earnings to $1,236,572 for owner G M B Racing.
Tom’s d’Etat raced in mid-pack along the fence for the first six furlongs before Joel Rosario swung his mount out to the three path to make the lead in upper stretch. He easily pulled away from the field in the stretch to win going away over a late-closing Owendale.
The final time of 1:48.84 for the nine furlongs on a fast track earned Tom’s d’Etat a Beyer Speed Figure of 104, his sixth straight triple-digit number.
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,” said trainer Al Stall, Jr.
Tom’s d’Etat was bred in Kentucky by SF Bloodstock LLC. He is out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Julia Tuttle, a stakes winner of $188,051. Tom’s d’Etat’s third dam Candy Girl (ARG) produced Pacific Classic winner and leading Kentucky-based sire Candy Ride.