"Gates closed and they're all set for the five million Breeders' Cup Classic..... and away they go, Pleasant Prince off a bit slow.
First Dude goes right to the lead, Haynesfield broke well and moving towards the front, Quality Road taking a good position down on the rail. The Japanese invader Espoir City on the outside of that along with Etched. Behind that is Musket Man, two lengths further back to Blame. Two more lengths back to Lookin at Lucky caught three-wide, with Fly Down and Paddy O'Prado inside of him. Then Pleasant Prince and finally Zenyatta is her customary last, 7 lengths back early as the past the Churchill Downs grandstand first time around...
(opening quarter 23:67)
First Dude out on the lead, not winging, but not crawling either. Espoir City tugging his way to be second. Quality Road sitting a length and half back down at the rail, with Etched and Haynesfield on his outside. Two lengths back to Musket Man and another one to Blame. Three more to the champion two year-old Lookin at Lucky and Fly Down, Paddy O'Prado behind him. Three more to Pleasant Prince and last is still Zenyatta, Zenyatta is still dead last early...
(half-mile 47:88)
First Dude is joined by Espoir City on the front end, with Quality Road getting a perfect trip down the backside in third, a length and a half back. Etched and Haynesfield are outside of him, with Musket Man four lengths back. Blame and Garrett Gomez is moving up on the inside getting closer to that leading group. The three-year old trio of Fly Down, Paddy O'Prado and Lookin at Lucky sitting 7 lengths back, Pleasant Prince and Zenyatta last, biding her time to make her run at destiny...
(3/4 in 1:11:77)
As they reach the end of the backstretch, First Dude is still on the lead, Espoir City is struggling to keep up in second. Quality Road waiting for room down at the rail. Haynesfield, Etched, Musket Man all poised to strike. Blame just behind them, with Lookin at Lucky launching a five-wide move, Fly Down, Paddy and Zenyatta is starting to uncoil her patented charge. Mike Smith looks for a path...
(1 Mile in 1:35:67)
They reach the top of the lead and suddenly the whole picture changes. Quality Road is in front, Etched and Musket Man on his outside, with Zenyatta swinging well wide. Blame looking for room at the rail and he found it! He burst to the lead, Zenyatta is rolling home on the outside, and she has dead aim on Blame! She is gaining on him, but Blame is fighting on. Zenyatta is 1/2 length back with 70 yards to go. Blame is all heart on the rail, Zenyatta is a head, a neck, she's gaining on him, they hit the wire...
and Blame has pulled the plug on the pursuit for perfection. He holds off Zenyatta by a nose. Etched, Fly Down and Musket Man three across the track for third, then back to Quality Road, Paddy O'Prado, Haynesfield, Lookin at Lucky at Lucky who didn't fire today, Espoir City, First Dude and Pleasant Prince was last."
Not bad, you called it for the top two, almost got the margin right on the nose too! Nice job.
ReplyDeleteThe Classic was incredible this year, talk about a nail-biter!
The "Off the Board" contest was great fun. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI finished poorly, mainly because I totally bombed on Friday. But, I had the 3rd best score on Saturday, which was a good thing (because that's the day I was able to get to the track and bet!). I had a nice day - scoring on the Juvenile turf with Pluck/Soldat and having the Classic exacta (though I must admit, I was hoping to rip up the ticket).
If only Jim Tully's Gayego could have come through for us in the Dirt Mile....I had an Uncle Mo x Goldikova x 3 ticket alive to him, Thisskyhasnolimit, and Tizway in the pick-3.
Congratulations again on your pick of Blame - you have been calling it ever since the Clark last year if I recall.