Blame on target for Jockey Club Gold Cup

Blame has won five consecutive races, including a pair of Grade 1 contests in

the June 12 Stephen Foster H. at Churchill Downs and the August 7 Whitney H. at

Saratoga, in which he upset another top older male in training, Quality Road

(Elusive Quality), who went on to win the Woodward S. (G1) in his next start.

Among those Blame could face in the Gold Cup are the one-two finishers from

the August 28 Travers S. (G1), respectively AFLEET EXPRESS (Afleet Alex) and FLY

DOWN (Mineshaft), as well as RAIL TRIP (Jump Start) who missed by a half-length

in the July 10 Hollywood Gold Cup (G1). DRY MARTINI (Slew Gin Fizz), sixth on

the grass in the Bowling Green H. (G2) at Belmont on September 11, could also

start.

Travers hero Afleet Express has settled in at Belmont Park and is preparing

for a possible start in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

"He's doing OK," said Jimmy Jerkens, who trains the colt for Gainesway Stable

and Martin L. Cherry. "We don't know yet if we are going to the Gold Cup. We're

undecided."

The Gold Cup would be Afleet Express' first start against older horses.

"It'd be tough, but it's been done before," Jerkens said. "We'd get a weight

break, and three-year-olds can fare well late in the year. He's still a pretty

fresh horse. He hasn't been over-raced, and he didn't race in the spring."

Grade 1 victor Rail Trip, also looking toward a start in the Gold Cup, exited

a six-furlong breeze at Aqueduct on Thursday in good order, according to trainer

Rick Dutrow Jr.

Under jockey Cornelio Velasquez, the five-year-old gelding worked in company

with multiple Grade 2 winner Arson Squad (Brahms), covering six furlongs in 1:11

4/5, according to NYRA clockers.

"I thought the work was good, and he came out of it well," Dutrow said.

"We're happy with the horse."

Rail Trip, who was briefly sidelined with a foot problem this summer in

Saratoga, will be making both his first start for Dutrow, and first start on

dirt, in the Gold Cup. Previously trained by Ron Ellis, he is owned by Jay Em

Ess Stable and won a pair of Grade 2 stakes at Hollywood Park earlier this year

-- the Mervyn LeRoy on May 8 and the Californian on June 12 -- before a narrow

defeat to Awesome Gem (Awesome Again) as the defending champion in the Hollywood

Gold Cup.