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Blame draws outside in Stephen Foster
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Blame will look to emulate Saint Liam with victories in the
Stephen Foster & Clark Handicaps
(Churchill Downs Photography) |
Multiple Grade 2 winner BLAME (Arch) will bring a three-race winning streak
into the $600,000
Stephen
Foster H. (G1), including an excellent victory in the Clark H. (G2) at
Churchill Downs last fall, and rates as the horse to beat in Saturday's 1
1/8-mile event. However, the Al Stall Jr. runner didn't receive any favors in
the post position draw, receiving the far outside in a strong 11-horse field
that includes New Orleans H. (G2) winner BATTLE PLAN (Empire Maker), multiple
Grade 1 victor GENERAL QUARTERS (Sky Mesa), Alysheba S. (G3) hero ARSON SQUAD
(Brahms), Oaklawn H. (G2) conqueror DUKE OF MISCHIEF (Graeme Hall) and defending
champion MACHO AGAIN (Macho Uno).
Blame, who captured the Fayette S. (G2) at Keeneland prior to his head win in
the Clark, tuned up for the Foster with a sharp 1 1/2-length tally in the
William Donald Schaefer S. (G3) at Pimlico on May 15, and the four-year-old colt
owns a commendable overall record of 9-6-1-2. Garrett Gomez will retain the
mount on the 120-pound co-highweight.
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Battle Plan hasn't dropped a start since his career debut, winning four
straight for conditioner Todd Pletcher, and the surging five-year-old reeled off
two straight convincing triumphs over allowance rivals at Gulfstream Park this
winter before making his stakes debut last time in the nine-furlong New Orleans
at Fair Grounds, scoring by 1 1/2 lengths in front-running fashion. The
speedy horse will tote 119 pounds and looms as a serious wire-to-wire threat
from post 2 with Javier Castellano.
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| Battle Plan (right) exits a
front-running score over General Quarters (center) in the New
Orleans
(Lynn Roberts/Hodges Photography) |
General Quarters and Arson Squad will share 120-pound highweight duties. Tom
McCarthy's General Quarters posted a game neck win in the Woodford Reserve Turf
Classic (G1) last time out after recording three straight seconds in dirt stakes at Fair
Grounds, including the New Orleans. The classy gray colt will pick up a new rider in
Alex Solis. Arson Squad will enter on the upswing for Richard Dutrow, romping by
3 3/4 lengths in the Skip Away S. (G3) before an authoritative 2 1/4-length
decision in the April 30 Alysheba at Churchill. The multiple Grade 2-winning
millionaire will keep Paco Lopez in the saddle.
Duke of Mischief has been freshened off a 2 1/2-length victory in the April 3
Oaklawn H., and the David Fawkes pupil also captured the Ft. Lauderdale S. (G3)
earlier this season. Eibar Coa will be in to ride. Macho Again drew off to a
one-length win in the 2009 Foster and finished second in both the Whitney H.
(G1) and Woodward S. (G1) last season. The five-year-old gets in light at 116
pounds on Saturday due to unplaced efforts in his last three starts, including a
seventh in the Alysheba, and will look to rebound with regular rider Robby
Albarado.
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The Foster is the centerpiece of a superb 11-race Kentucky Derby Alumni Day program at Churchill that
features five graded stakes.
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