Pomeroy's Plan Perfect Heading into Sprint

It's not often that things go according to plan in the Thoroughbred business, but that's certainly been the case with Silverleaf Farms' purchase of Pomeroy last year.

After the horse ran up the track in the 2005 Vosburgh Stakes (gr. I), chips were discovered in his ankle, and owners Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith agreed to sell the grade I winner to David Hutson's Silverleaf Farms as a stallion prospect.

But Hutson decided to have surgery done on the son of Boundary -- Questress, by Seeking the Gold. "Mr. Hutson figured he'd give him the opportunity to return to training," said Bob Cromartie of Briggs & Cromartie Bloodstock Agency, which served as agent in the purchase of Pomeroy. "Everything has gone according to plan. He had the surgery, rehabbed in Ocala, and returned to the racetrack and his previous form."

In his initial race back, Pomeroy ran second, beaten two lengths, to Nightmare Affair in the Smile Sprint Handicap (gr. II) at Calder July 15. It was an encouraging outing for Pomeroy, who as a 3-year-old in 2004 had won the King's Bishop (gr. I) and a year later took the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (gr. II), both at Saratoga. So when the Forego (gr. I) came around Sept. 2, Pomeroy again showed his affinity for the upstate New York racetrack, winning off by daylight for his second grade I triumph.

"You're always happy when something like that happens," noted Cromartie. "It was the coming together of our plan. We wanted to get him returned to form, and we knew we didn't have many races before the Breeders' Cup. The goal was always to get to the Breeders' Cup, and every step we took was aimed at getting to where we are today."

Where they are is poised to run in the TVG Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) for Silverleaf and trainer Marty Wolfson. Cromartie, who worked for Hutson in the latter's land development business, said the current plan is to retire Pomeroy to stud after the Breeders' Cup, although he hastened to add one should "never say never" about continuing to run Pomeroy.

As for now, however, Hutson, who has owned stakes winners Golden Pond, Almost Skint, Auroral, England's Rose, Mocita, Silca Key Service, and Statue, plans to retire Pomeroy to Cloverleaf Farms II near Reddick, Fla. In fact, applications for mares are already being taken, with more than 50 mares booked to Pomeroy at a pre-Breeders' Cup fee of $10,000.

Pomeroy enters the Sprint with seven victories from 17 starts and earnings of $845,050.