Coady Photography
Louisiana Derby (gr. II) runner-up Tom’s Ready turned in another nice workout on April 23rd at Churchill Downs as he continues to prepare for a start in the May 7th Kentucky Derby (gr. I).
Breezing in company with the three-year-old maiden Forever d’Oro, Tom’s Ready started two lengths behind his stablemate and posted slow early fractions of :13.60 and :38 flat before finishing in a sharp :23 flat to reach the wire on even terms with Forever d’Oro in the time of 1:01 flat. Tom’s Ready then galloped-out six furlongs in 1:14.20.
“I thought [he looked] good,” trainer Dallas Stewart was quoted as saying in a Churchill Downs press release. “He was nice and solid. It was a typical work for him; he laid off a horse [Forever d’Oro] and made a good finish. It was a good fight and that was a nice colt that he worked with.”
Regarding Tom’s Ready’s first pre-Derby workout–a half-mile in a bullet :47 flat on April 7th at Churchill Downs–Stewart said “That was the first work back; he went :47 and typically you’re looking for :49 or :50. He worked in company that time and got head-and-head. Sometimes he gets too eager when he works with another horse. That’s why we let him fall back a little this time. We wanted to get him blowing and get him halfway tired.”
Dallas Stewart has enjoyed an impressive streak of strong showings in recent Triple Crown races, finishing second in the 2013 and 2014 Kentucky Derbies with Golden Soul and Commanding Curve and second in the 2015 Preakness Stakes (gr. I) with Tale of Verve.
