PA-bred Tom’s Ready takes G3 Bold Ruler
Therapist won the Laurel Futurity. Photo by Laurie Asseo.
From a NYRA release
With a late surge in the final sixteenth, G M B Racing Stable’s Tom’s Ready, a Pennsylvania-bred, rallied late to win the Grade 3, $200,000 Bold Ruler on Saturday at Belmont Park.
Breaking from post 6 with Joel Rosario aboard, the pair rated comfortably in last from the field of nine as Green Gratto and Awesome Banner battled up front with the former, setting fractions of 22.05 seconds for the opening quarter-mile with the half going in 44.79.
As the field approached the quarter-pole, Stallwalkin’ Dude, who was forwardly placed throughout, took the lead at the top of the stretch. Swinging out eight wide in a full drive, Tom’s Ready picked off foes, overtaking Stallwalkin’ Dude and a game Beasley at the sixteenth-pole. Extending away to the wire, he secured the victory by three-quarters of a length.
He completed the seven-furlong distance in a final time of 1:22.06.
“The pace on the front was good and he had a nice run in the end,” said Rosario. “I looked back for a second, it took him a little bit of time to really get there but he got the job done. We were a little wide going into the stretch, we were trying to be in the clear because when the dirt hits him a little in the face he doesn’t go forward, he just stays there. I was trying to make him feel comfortable.”
Leaving the gate at odds of 8-1 and returning $18 for a $2 win wager, the 4-year-old More Than Ready colt increased his career earnings over the seven-figure mark to $1,013,767.
“I thought it was great,” said Bentley Combs, assistant to winning trainer Dallas Stewart. “There was a lot of early speed so it set up pretty well for him. He’s got a great late kick, he’s always had that, so it’s always come down to where he’s positioned in the race as to whether he can use that to get up to win.”
Picking up his third graded stakes victory with the win, Combs noted that Tom’s Ready will be pointed to the Grade 1, $750,000 Cigar Mile on December 2 at Aqueduct Racetrack before going to stud at Spendthrift Farm in 2018.
“We want to get him to the Cigar Mile, try to get him a Grade 1 win,” added Combs. “It’s an iconic race and it would be a great way for him to end his career.”
Following Stallwalkin’ Dude in second was Beasley, Seymourdini, Divining Rod, Green Gratto, Mr. Crow, Tale of S’avall and Awesome Banner.
One race later, Oak Bluff Stable’s homebred Therapist closed out the day’s card with a one-length victory in the $100,000 Awad for 2-year-olds on the Widener turf.
Sent off at odds of 4-1, the New York-bred chestnut colt by Freud worked out an inside trip under Irad Ortiz, Jr. from post 2 and settled in fourth early behind Looking Ready, who took the field of 10 through an opening quarter-mile in 23.16 seconds and a half in 46.90. Therapist found running room along the rail near the sixteenth pole and pulled clear to victory, his second stakes in a row.
The winner completed the mile on firm turf in 1:35.41. He returned $10 for a $2 win wager.
Maryland-bred V. I. P. Code, based at Laurel Park in trainer Phil Schoenthal’s barn, got up late for second at odds of 71-1 over Looking Ready in third. Way Early was fourth, followed by Sand Dancer, Empirically, War Chest, Lone Sentry, Bourbon Currency, and Devine Entry to round out the order of finish.
A perfect 3-for-3 in his short career, Therapist earned his first stakes win in the Laurel Futurity by a head last time out. Saturday’s win was his first going further than six furlongs.
“It was a great race to stretch him out because it’s a one-turn mile,” said winning trainer Christophe Clement. “He got up very strong, so I guess he can get the distance. He’s been great. He’s a nice horse. He’s unbeaten. He’s also a New York bred, but he can obviously compete in open company. I’ll have to talk to the owners to see if we go on or give him a break, I’m not sure.”
