It’s been a long road for Tom’s d’Etat. A Kentucky-bred son of Smart Strike, the striking bay spent the first three years of his career searching for a black-type win.

Now 7, Tom’s d’Etat is on the win streak of a lifetime. With a dominating 4 1/4-length score in the $500,000, Grade 2 Stephen Foster Stakes June 27 at Churchill Downs, the hard-knocking runner stamped his ticket to the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic via the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series with his fourth consecutive stakes win.

“You can’t explain it because it’s not supposed to happen in this business,” trainer Al Stall Jr. said. “He’s obviously had quite a few breaks along the line for various reasons like nagging injuries, and maybe that’s helped his longevity.”

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Facing a field of seven others in the 1 1/8-mile Stephen Foster, Tom’s d’Etat broke sharply from post-position five and was guided to the front by jockey Miguel Mena. Settled just off the rail, Tom’s d’Etat settled back in second as Pirate’s Punch showed early speed to take the lead and click off fractions of :23.89 and :48.13 for the half-mile.

By My Standards and Alkhaatampressed the pace outside the rail on the backside and dueled for third. Tom’s d’Etat managed to edge his nose in front of Pirate’s Punch at the three-eighths pole and was in the lead by a head as six furlongs were clocked in 1:11.67. Mena guided his mount out even wider exiting the turn, and the pair were firmly in control in early stretch by two lengths.

By My Standards made his own bid for the lead at the three-eighths pole but was no match for Tom’s d’Etat, who drew away in midstretch and increased his lead all the way to the finish line, finishing in 1:47.30 on a fast track. Silver Dust was third, 2 3/4 lengths behind runner-up By My Standards.

“I knew he was a lot of fun to ride him in the morning but didn’t realize how much fun he was in the afternoon,” said Mena, who was given an opportunity to ride Tom’s d’Etat when regular jockey Joel Rosario opted to ride champion Uni in the Grade 1 Just a Game at Belmont Park. “I owe everything to Al for giving me the opportunity to ride such an impressive horse. He was going along so easy and I just asked him for his attention a little bit at the top of the lane and I didn’t even have to really step on the gas.”

Campaigned by G M B Racing, Tom’s d’Etat opened the year with a three-quarter-length score in the April 11 Oaklawn Mile Stakes at Oaklawn Park. He closed 2019 with two of his best victories, the Grade 2 Hagyard Fayette Stakes at Keeneland and the Grade 1 Clark Stakes Presented by Norton Healthcare at Churchill.

Tom’s d’Etat after winning Stephen Foster. (Coady Photography)

“I think the most important thing is he’s had the chance to get in form by being in steady training for about 18 months and get a bunch of races strung together,” Stall said. “He enjoyed his freshening at the Fair Grounds this winter, and he couldn’t have done any better. Oaklawn couldn’t have been any better, so I feel like we’re in good shape going forward into the rest of this year. He’s in pretty good shape, and this race is only the second race back.

“He’s a great athlete. If he needs to be close, he breaks running, and if the pace is fast, he can back off and listen to the rider. He’s a smart horse, he’s an athletic horse, and he’s what a Grade 1 horse is supposed to be.”

Bred by SF Bloodstock, Tom’s d’Etat is out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Julia Tuttle. Offered to the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale, Tom’s d’Etat was purchased by G M B Racing for $330,000 from the consignment of Hunter Valley Farm. He holds a 11-2-1 record from 18 starts with $1,627,272 in earnings.

Stall said he’s hopeful that if Tom’s d’Etat continues to improve, offers to stand the horse at stud will follow.

“If I have to stand him in my backyard, he will be a stallion somewhere,” Stall said. “We get a few little bites here and there, but races like this and with us going forward, I imagine we will hear more. We’re just going to concentrate on the horse and the year in front of us and let the G M B crew, who have been unbelievably patient and spent a lot of time and money with this horse rehabbing him, get paid off. They’re good business people, and they will know what to do when the time comes.”  

Magnificent Midnight Bisou Blitzes Fleur de Lis Foes

Midnight Bisou much the best in Fleur de Lis. (Coady Photography)

Champion Midnight Bisou made an eye-catching return to the races in the $200,000, Grade 2  Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Handicap at Churchill Downs, blitzing her way to an 8 1/4-length win over six opponents.

In her first start since a runner-up finish to Maximum Security in the Feb. 29 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, the 5-year-old daughter of Midnight Lute crushed her own division with a powerful move off the far turn in her 2020 U.S. debut.

Runner-up in the 2019 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff and third in 2018, she picked up an expenses-paid return trip to the Nov. 7 event at Keeneland through the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge  Series.

Midnight Bisou came away fifth in Saturday’s 1 1/8-mile test but made steady progress under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith as Grade 1 winner Serengeti Empress set swift opening fractions of :23.18 and :46.15.

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As three-quarters went in 1:09.74, Midnight Bisou inhaled the pacesetter and galloped into the head of the lane with plenty left to give. She widened her advantage through a 1:35.40 mile and was never challenged en route to an 8 1/4-length victory. The final time was 1:48.99 on a track rated fast.

“What an amazing mare; couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunity,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “What a true blessing she is. To see her come through the stretch, happy as she is, as beautiful as ever, what a reward.

“For her to show her class like this is wonderful.”

Midnight Bisou is campaigned by Bloom Racing Stable, Madaket Stables, and Allen Racing. The Fleur de Lis win improved her career record to 13-5-3 from 21 starts, with earnings of $7,371,520.