GEORGETOWN, Ky. – Oct. 31, 2023 – Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement farm in Georgetown, Ky., is saddened to announce that 10-year old Tom’s Ready, a multiple graded-stakes winner who earned over a million dollars in his racing career, was euthanized on Monday, Oct. 30, 2023 at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky. due to complications following colic surgery.
The 10-year old dark bay stallion was donated to Old Friends courtesy of Gayle Benson of GMB Racing. He arrived at the farm on Nov. 23, 2020 and enjoyed three years of retirement.
Bred by Blackstone Farm, LLC, Tom’s Ready, who was by More Than Ready–Goodbye Stranger, by Broad Brush, was foaled on Feb. 1, 2013 in Pennsylvania.
He was purchased by GMB Racing at the Fasig Tipton New York 2014 Saratoga Select Yearling Sale for $145,000.
He began his racing career as a 2-year old in 2015 for trainer Dallas Stewart and owner, Benson/GMB Racing, who would care for the horse his entire career. In his first race, he finished fourth in a maiden special weight race at Saratoga on Aug. 15.
Following a fifth in his next race, the Hopeful Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, he made it to the winner’s circle in his third start, a maiden special weight race at Churchill Downs.
In his career, he went on to win three stakes races. The first two came in 2016 as a 3-year old – the Woody Stephens Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park, and the Ack Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs, and the third one came in 2017 as a 4-year old in the Leemat Stakes (Black Type) at Presque Downs.
In other big races in his career, he finished 12th in the 2016 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) at Churchill Downs, and fifth in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Santa Anita.
He ran his last race on Dec. 2, 2017 when he finished fifth in the Cigar Mile Handicap Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) at Belmont Park.
He closed out his career with a record of five wins, four seconds, three thirds, and $1,036,266 in earnings in 21 starts.
Tom’s Ready began his stud career in 2018 at Spendthrift Farm, and then was moved to Red River Farms in Louisiana where he stood for 2019-20.
Some of his top progeny included Quite Ready, who earned $110,129 with four wins in 17 starts; Ready to March, who earned $58,360 with three wins in 16 starts; and MuchMoreThanReady, who earned $42,700, with one win in six starts.
He was then pensioned and donated to Old Friends by Gayle Benson of GMB Racing. He arrived at the farm on Nov. 23, 2020.
“Tom’s Ready helped Old Friends a lot,” said Michael Blowen, President and founder of Old Friends. “He was donated by Gayle Benson of GMB Racing, sending a message that a first rate breeding and racing operation trusted us to provide superior retirement and health care for their horse.”
