Blame is the winner of the 2010 Grade 1 Whitney Handicap.
This blog hoped that this post would begin with the above statement. Even with Blame being the selection, a blog favorite AND the blog's choice to win the 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic, this win was a bit of surprise. There was a not-so-small part of this blog that thought Quality Road would crush this field. Going in, he was a formidable opponent and a worthy 1/2 favorite. He had three superb wins this year, setting a track record in one of them. Those led him to be the deserving highweight in the field, Most of the others had a least a fighting chance. But they had no one to Blame once the race had been run.
As the field was in the gate, Haynesfield broke through it prematurely, acting very fractious, but was allowed to run. After the first quarter mile, Quality Road look to be in complete control. After half a mile, Quality Road looked on his way to a blowout win. After 3/4 of a mile, Blame looked like he had a small chance. After a mile, Blame looked like he had a good chance. At the 1/16th pole, it looked like he had a great chance. At the wire, Blame had cashed in his chance and crossed the wire first, under a hand-ride. No whip needed. His jockey Garrett Gomez never lifted the stick.
Before the Whitney, this blog was committed to shouting from the mountaintops that Blame was this year's Breeders' Cup Classic winner, but nothing else. Now with the win, the phrase "Blame - 2010 Horse of the Year" has entered into the lexicon. He has now moved to the top of the handicap division. But how will he accomplish that goal? It looks like that his next race will be the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont October 2nd, then the Breeders Cup Classic. This schedule leaves no margin for error. A loss in the JCGC will take him out of contention. On the flipside, it leaves him in a nice position as a fresh horse. Hopefully this carefully plotted course will have a happy ending come November 6th.
Blame was given an opportunity and seized it. Now, how will he and his connections react with the pressure on? As the line from Shakespeare Henry IV says, "Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown".
Showing posts with label Albert Stall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Albert Stall. Show all posts
Monday, August 9, 2010
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tons of Blame to go around
I know I am more than a a little late with, but thee combination of the previous post along with some other personal problems drained the creative energy from yours truly. But with the help of a brief freshening, I'm back with renewed fervor. Today's post will hopefully be the beginning of a steady series of posts for this blog. I will be aiming to keep a schedule of posting thrice-weekly, while maintaining, and hopefully improving, the quality of the posts. With that out of the way, onto sharing Blame!
When Blame crossed the wire first in the Stephen Foster, i sort of felt like a proud father after seeing his boy win something, as strange as that sounds. Blame broke from the outside post in the field of eleven in the race. He worked his way into a good stalking position, sat 3-4 lengths off the tepid pace pace, made his move going into he far turn and won by a measured 3/4 of a length over the lone speed of Battle Plan. (Unfortunately for Battle Plan, injury has ensnared him once again, and this time for good. He has been retired due to a tear in his suspensory. Stud plans have not been made yet.)
(chart here; video below)
With the win, Blame is now a Grade 1 winner, and officially enters the discussion for Horse of the Year. However, he is well behind the two front-runners, Quality Road and Zenyatta. Preparations have already begun for Blame's next race. He worked an easy 1/2 mile in 49 flat at Keeneland on Sunday June 27th. He is being pointed to Grade 1 Whitney Handicap on August 7th at Saratoga. Also being pointed to that race is the aforementioned Quality Road; I Want Revenge, who makes his return from a 15-month layoff in this Saturday's Suburban; Mine That Bird, who makes his seasonal debut in the Firecracker Handicap on grass at Churchill Downs this Sunday, after the allowance race he was being aimed for failed to fill; and Redding Colliery, who was a stylish winner of the Lone Star Handicap last out. That race should be a good one.
Now that Blame has gotten that Grade 1 win, this blog can only hope that it is just the first step to a sterling 2010 campaign, ending with another Grade 1 victory come the first Saturday in November right back there at Churchill downs in the Breeders Cup Classic.
When Blame crossed the wire first in the Stephen Foster, i sort of felt like a proud father after seeing his boy win something, as strange as that sounds. Blame broke from the outside post in the field of eleven in the race. He worked his way into a good stalking position, sat 3-4 lengths off the tepid pace pace, made his move going into he far turn and won by a measured 3/4 of a length over the lone speed of Battle Plan. (Unfortunately for Battle Plan, injury has ensnared him once again, and this time for good. He has been retired due to a tear in his suspensory. Stud plans have not been made yet.)
(chart here; video below)
With the win, Blame is now a Grade 1 winner, and officially enters the discussion for Horse of the Year. However, he is well behind the two front-runners, Quality Road and Zenyatta. Preparations have already begun for Blame's next race. He worked an easy 1/2 mile in 49 flat at Keeneland on Sunday June 27th. He is being pointed to Grade 1 Whitney Handicap on August 7th at Saratoga. Also being pointed to that race is the aforementioned Quality Road; I Want Revenge, who makes his return from a 15-month layoff in this Saturday's Suburban; Mine That Bird, who makes his seasonal debut in the Firecracker Handicap on grass at Churchill Downs this Sunday, after the allowance race he was being aimed for failed to fill; and Redding Colliery, who was a stylish winner of the Lone Star Handicap last out. That race should be a good one.
Now that Blame has gotten that Grade 1 win, this blog can only hope that it is just the first step to a sterling 2010 campaign, ending with another Grade 1 victory come the first Saturday in November right back there at Churchill downs in the Breeders Cup Classic.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Preakness Day Wrap-up: Plenty of Blame & A Little Lucky
As the middle jewel of the Triple Crown is now in the books, the drought will continue as Super Saver could not capture the Preakness Stakes to keep alive his chances for the sport's first Triple Crown in 32 years. Lookin at Lucky finally got a clean trip, took advantage and willed his way to victory over a game First Dude, who set the pace, dropped back and came back on for 2nd.
Lucky was ridden for the 1st time by Martin Garcia, who won in his first Triple Crown race.
But this blog is going to pay a bit more attention to a race that happened about 4 hours earlier on the card. In the Grade 3 William Donald Schaefer, multiple graded stakes winner Blame made his 2010 debut. This blog is very high on this son of Arch, to the point that he is this blog's choice for who we think will be the 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic winner, which will hopefully lead to him be chosen as the 2010 Horse of the Year. The Albert Stall trainee sat off a so-so pace, split horses at the top of the lane, and won going away under s stern handride by Garrett Gomez. He broke from post 6 in this field of 7, he is the #7.
With this stylish win, he is now being pointed to the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap on June 12th at Churchill Downs. Blame has already won at Churchill Downs in the past, most recently winning the Grade 2 Clark Handicap last thanksgiving weekend to close out his 3 year-old season. In this race he beat Grade 1 winners Einstein and Bullsbay (who he also defeated in the Schaefer), along with Misremembered, who this winter won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap. He is #5.
The sky is the limit for this homebred of his owners, Adele B Dilschneider & Claiborne Farm. Hopefully he will move forward in the Stephen Foster and be one step closer to the Breeders' Cup Classic, which this year is at Churchill Downs. If he continues on his winning way this year, Horse of the Year is not out of the question. This blog waits for the second Saturday in June with bated breath. Will you?
Lucky was ridden for the 1st time by Martin Garcia, who won in his first Triple Crown race.
But this blog is going to pay a bit more attention to a race that happened about 4 hours earlier on the card. In the Grade 3 William Donald Schaefer, multiple graded stakes winner Blame made his 2010 debut. This blog is very high on this son of Arch, to the point that he is this blog's choice for who we think will be the 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic winner, which will hopefully lead to him be chosen as the 2010 Horse of the Year. The Albert Stall trainee sat off a so-so pace, split horses at the top of the lane, and won going away under s stern handride by Garrett Gomez. He broke from post 6 in this field of 7, he is the #7.
With this stylish win, he is now being pointed to the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap on June 12th at Churchill Downs. Blame has already won at Churchill Downs in the past, most recently winning the Grade 2 Clark Handicap last thanksgiving weekend to close out his 3 year-old season. In this race he beat Grade 1 winners Einstein and Bullsbay (who he also defeated in the Schaefer), along with Misremembered, who this winter won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap. He is #5.
The sky is the limit for this homebred of his owners, Adele B Dilschneider & Claiborne Farm. Hopefully he will move forward in the Stephen Foster and be one step closer to the Breeders' Cup Classic, which this year is at Churchill Downs. If he continues on his winning way this year, Horse of the Year is not out of the question. This blog waits for the second Saturday in June with bated breath. Will you?
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