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Blame nips Quality Road in Whitney
"I'm thrilled to death for everyone involved," winning trainer Al Stall Jr. said. "The fact we were within four or five lengths from the three-eighths pole to the wire -- he's pretty tough. He's got a great turn of foot. If he's within striking distance of a horse, he usually gets there. That's what I've learned about him in the last six months or so. "The first half in :48 was a little nerve-wracking, but it kept us close. If (Quality Road) goes in :46 and going just as easily, we're 15 lengths out of it." Gomez revealed his confidence throughout in post-race comments. "If you watched me ride him, I never hit him," Gomez said. "I actually moved up at about the three-eighths pole and I felt pretty confident then. I was just biding my time until we turned for home. "He's a magnificent older horse and I can't wait until we go farther." The 3-1 second choice, Blame paid $8.60, $3 and $2.20. Quality Road returned $2.40 and $2.10, while Musket Man was worth $2.50 at 7-1 after finishing 1 3/4 lengths behind in third. He had 9 1/2 lengths on Haynesfield, who was followed by Mine That Bird (Birdstone) and Jardim (Brz) (Ski Champ), neither of whom mounted a serious challenge. The exacta paid $18.20 and the 2-3-6 trifecta $37.80. The attitude of Quality Road, who had racked up wins in the Metropolitan H. (G1), Donn H. (G1) and Hal's Hope S. (G3) earlier in the year, did not entirely please Velazquez. "I tried to put him into the bridle, but he was just going through the motions, which is strange for him." While there was no word from trainer Todd Pletcher where Quality Road might prep for the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), Stall said Blame would likely have just one more prep before the 1 1/4-mile feature at Churchill Downs on November 6. "It might be the (September 4) Woodward S. (G1), the (October 2) Jockey Club Gold Cup or the Hawthorne Gold Cup (G2)," Stall said. "The breeders want to do the New York stuff, which I do too." Bred in Kentucky, Blame has compiled a career mark of 11-8-1-2, $1,518,214. Successful in a Keeneland maiden in his second start at two, he cleared his entry-level allowance condition over older foes at Churchill two starts later then made his stakes debut a winning one out in the Curlin S. at Saratoga, defeating subsequent Pennsylvania Derby (G2) and Ohio Derby (G2) hero Gone Astray (Dixie Union). After running second to Regal Ransom (Distorted Humor) in the Super Derby (G2), Blame rebounded to beat older horses in the Fayette S. (G2) at Keeneland and the Clark H. (G2) back at Churchill. He kicked off his four-year-old campaign with a facile, 1 1/2-length victory in the May 15 William Donald Schaefer S. (G3) at Pimlico, and last time came on late to edge the now-retired Battle Plan in the Stephen Foster H. (G1) by three parts of a length. The Kentucky-bred is out of the multiple stakes-placed Seeking the Gold mare Liable, who is herself a half-sister to globetrotting Group 1 star Archipenko (Kingmambo) and stakes-winning producer Limit (Cox's Ridge). Liable has also produced stakes victor Tend (Dynaformer), a juvenile full sister to Blame named Might, and a 2010 filly by Tiznow. This is the family of supersires Nureyev (Northern Dancer) and Sadler's Wells (Northern Dancer).
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