Spendthrift Farm has reached an agreement with GMB Racing to acquire the breeding rights to More Than Ready‘s leading 3-year-old colt Tom’s Ready, recent impressive winner of the $500,000 Woody Stephens S. (G2) at Belmont Park.
“We are excited to have the opportunity to stand such a talented and progressive colt as Tom’s Ready, and we’re appreciative to Mr. & Mrs. Benson and the entire GMB Racing team,” said Ned Toffey, General Manager at Spendthrift. “Tom’s Ready is one of the best-looking colt’s we’ve ever seen by More Than Ready, who is emerging as an important sire of sires, both in America and Australia. Tom’s Ready is incredibly sound and versatile, and we believe his Woody Stephens performance is just the beginning of a big future ahead.”
Trained by Dallas Stewart, Tom’s Ready will continue to be campaigned by owner GMB Racing throughout the remainder of the colt’s racing career, before retiring to Spendthrift to take up stud duty. GMB Racing is owned by Gayle Marie Benson, wife of New Orleans Saints (NFL) and New Orleans Pelicans (NBA) owner Tom Benson.
“In 2014, at the urging of my husband Tom (Benson), we decided to buy some yearlings, and our first purchase was Tom’s Ready at the Fasig-Tipton sales in Saratoga,” said Gayle Benson. “We are very grateful to Dallas Stewart, who has brought him along nicely into the horse he is today. From the Hopeful Stakes as a 2-year-old, to the Kentucky Derby, and most recently the Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont, Tom’s Ready has provided me and my husband with great joy. We would also like to thank everyone at Spendthrift, especially Mr. Hughes, Ned (Toffey), and Mark (Toothaker), for believing in our horse. He still has productive racing days ahead, and we are excited about the future – on the track and at Spendthrift – for Tom’s Ready.”
As a two-year-old, Tom’s Ready broke his maiden by 3 ¼ lengths at Churchill Downs before finishing a fast-closing runner-up in the Street Sense S. at Churchill in his next start. In 2016, Tom’s Ready qualified for the Kentucky Derby (G1) after runner-up performances in the Louisiana Derby (G2) and LeComte S. (G3) at Fair Grounds.
Tom’s Ready turned back to one turn in the seven-furlong Woody Stephens earlier this month on the Belmont Stakes undercard, proving to be one of the top middle-distance horses of this year’s 3-year-old crop after a 1 ¼-length victory going away in 1:21.38. He is being pointed for the $500,000 King’s Bishop S. (G1) on August 27th at Saratoga.
Purchased by Stewart and GMB Racing for $145,000 at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, Tom’s Ready has earned $577,220 to date. The striking dark bay colt was bred by Blackstone Farm from the Broad Brush mare Goodbye Stranger, a half-sister to stakes winners Lemonlime and Miss Moses. Tom’s Ready is the newest exciting Graded stakes-winning son of emerging sire of sires More Than Ready, whose son Sebring (Aus) is the sire of the reigning Australian Horse of the Year, Dissident (Aus).
Source: Paulick Report