Caval fingered as Blame's first winner

Blame continued his upward trajectory by tackling -- and

beating -- older horses in the Fayette at Keeneland and the Clark Handicap at

Churchill. Connections had exercised their wonted patience throughout 2009, but

2010 would be much more ambitious. Thus began the long-range planning for his

four-year-old campaign, which his team hoped would culminate in the Breeders'

Cup Classic. Little could they know just how spectacularly it would come to

fruition.

After kicking off 2010 with an efficient verdict in the

William Donald Schaefer at Pimlico, Blame would compete exclusively in Grade 1

events for the rest of the year. He erased a four-length deficit in midstretch

to win the Stephen Foster Handicap going away at Churchill, and likewise pegged

back the high-class Quality Road in the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga. Blame had

to settle for second best behind Haynesfield in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, but

would be pitch-perfect for his career finale in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

While Zenyatta was a lackadaisical, tailed-off last for

much of the way, Blame bided his time in a more sensible spot off the pace, and

uncorked a sustained move at the right time. Zenyatta finally got involved in a

stretch thriller, but Blame would not let her pass. He kept his head in front at

the wire, ending her fairy-tale run.

Sired by Arch and out of the multiple stakes-placed Liable, Blame is a

half-brother to multiple stakes scorer Tend and to Apt, the dam of the Grade

1-placed duo of Apropos and Carve.

Liable is a Seeking the Gold half-sister to Group 1

globetrotter Archipenko and to Grade 3-placed stakes victress Limit, who is

responsible for a trio of stakes performers, led by Grade 1-placed stakes hero

Cease. Blame's second dam, Grade 1-placed stakes queen Bound, is a full sister

to multiple Grade 2 vixen and influential broodmare Number, whose descendants

include the likes of Jade Robbery, Numerous and Corinthian.

With Blame's third dam being Special, he hails from the

exceptional sire-producing family of Nureyev and Sadler's Wells.

The eight-year-old stallion stands at his birthplace --

historic Claiborne Farm near Paris, Kentucky, for $30,000, stands and nurses.

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