NEWS
Blame, Rachel Alexandra top Stephen Foster card
Posted: Wednesday, June 09, 2010 4:19 PM
BLAME
PhotosByZ.com/Thoroughbred Times
by Jeff Lowe
Blame will break from the outside post in a field of 11 for the $600,000 Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) and Rachel Alexandra will face no more than four rivals in the $200,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap (G2) on Saturday in a package of five graded stakes races at Churchill Downs.
Blame has pieced together five wins in his last six starts, including the William Donald Schaefer Stakes (G3) on May 15 at Pimlico Race Course in his four-year-old debut. He topped off his three-year-old season with a victory in the Clark Handicap (G2) at Churchill and has a chance to match 2005 Horse of the Year Saint Liam in winning both of the track’s signature handicaps for older horses.
The Stephen Foster drew defending winner Macho Again and Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes (G1) winner General Quarters but did not attract Rachel Alexandra, the reigning Horse of the Year, who will stay with her own sex in the Fleur de Lis as she pursues her first victory of 2010.
Blame, New Orleans Handicap (G2) winner Battle Plan, Oaklawn Handicap (G2) winner Duke of Mischief, and Alysheba Stakes (G3) winner Arson Squad will all bid for an initial Grade 1 win in the 1 1/8-mile Stephen Foster.
Rachel Alexandra dropped her first two starts as a four-year-old by narrow margins, falling by three-quarters of a length to Zardana (Arg) in the New Orleans Ladies Stakes on March 13 at Fair Grounds and by a head to Unrivaled Belle in the La Troienne Stakes (G2) on April 30 at Churchill.
Majority owner Jess Jackson noted that Rachel Alexandra has turned in a series of impressive workouts. She covered six furlongs in 1:11.20 on May 31 at Churchill.
“As long as she continues to progress, we intend to race her with the expectation that she will obtain her fitness level of last year,” Jackson said in a statement. “Our ultimate goal and hope is to enter the Breeders Cup in November."
Milady Handicap (G2) winner Made for Magic will switch to dirt in the 1 1/8-mile Fleur de Lis after posting the biggest victory of her career in the Milady on May 16 on the Cushion Track at Hollywood Park.
Jessica Is Back, the other stakes winner in the field, is cross-entered in the Obeah Handicap (G3) on Saturday at Delaware Park.
Asphalt and Guys Reward, the second- and third-place finishers in the American Turf Stakes (G2) on April 30 at Churchill, will reunite in the Jefferson Cup Stakes (G3) for three-year-olds on the turf.
Colizeo, an allowance winner on May 9 at Churchill, will view for his first stakes win in the $125,000 Northern Dancer Stakes (G3).
Jody Slew and It’s Tea Time both will move to the turf in the $125,000 Regret Stakes (G3) after finishing unplaced in the Kentucky Oaks (G1). Jody Slew won the Silverbulletday Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds over the winter. It’s Tea Time finished second by a neck in the Ashland Stakes (G1).
Their competition in the field of 13 includes Dynazaper, winner of the Edgewood Stakes on April 29 at Churchill.
The Horse Racing Radio Network will provide live coverage of the Stephen Foster Handicap, as well as the Northern Dancer and Fleur de Lis. HRRN's coverage will run from 4 p.m. EDT to 6 p.m.
Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer
June 12, $200,000, 3yo & up, f&m, 1 1/8M, Churchill Downs, 3:26 PM ET
| Post |
Horse |
Sire |
Weight |
Jockey |
Trainer |
| 1 |
Multipass 4, f. |
Olmodavor |
113 |
Jose Lezcano |
Eddie Kenneally |
| 2 |
Made for Magic 5, m. |
Cape Canaveral |
117 |
Omar Berrio |
A. Avila |
| 3 |
Distinctive Dixie 5, m. |
Fusaichi Pegasus |
114 |
Robby Albarado |
Wallace Dollase |
| 4 |
Rachel Alexandra 4, f. |
Medaglia d'Oro |
124 |
Calvin Borel |
Steven Asmussen |
| 5 |
Jessica Is Back 6, m. |
Put It Back |
116 |
Garrett Gomez |
Martin Wolfson |
June 12, $100,000, 3yo, 1 1/16M, Churchill Downs, 3:57 PM ET
| Post |
Horse |
Sire |
Weight |
Jockey |
Trainer |
| 1 |
Formulaforsuccess 3, c. |
Broken Vow |
117 |
Corey Nakatani |
John Pucek |
| 2 |
Gleam of Hope 3, c. |
City Zip |
117 |
E. Baird |
Anthony Reinstedler |
| 3 |
Asphalt 3, c. |
War Chant |
117 |
Jose Lezcano |
Eddie Kenneally |
| 4 |
Guys Reward 3, c. |
Grand Reward |
117 |
Robby Albarado |
Dale Romans |
| 5 |
Scottkeith'skitten 3, c. |
Kitten's Joy |
117 |
Jon Court |
Rodney Faulkner |
| 6 |
Dont Tell Kitten 3, c. |
Kitten's Joy |
117 |
Florent Geroux |
Wayne Catalano |
| 7 |
Lost Aptitude 3, c. |
Aptitude |
119 |
Garrett Gomez |
Dale Romans |
| 8 |
Our Douglas 3, c. |
Stormy Atlantic |
117 |
Alex Solis |
Thomas Proctor |
| 9 |
Psychic Income 3, c. |
Toccet |
117 |
Corey Lanerie |
Kenneth McPeek |
June 12, $125,000, 3yo, 1 1/16M, Churchill Downs, 4:29 PM ET
| Post |
Horse |
Sire |
Weight |
Jockey |
Trainer |
| 1 |
Worldly 3, c. |
A.P. Indy |
116 |
Robby Albarado |
Paul McGee |
| 2 |
Crider 3, c. |
Closing Argument |
116 |
Shaun Bridgmohan |
Steven Asmussen |
| 3 |
Spoon River Lew 3, c. |
Maria's Mon |
116 |
Jamie Theriot |
Dallas Stewart |
| 4 |
Colizeo 3, c. |
Distorted Humor |
116 |
Garrett Gomez |
Todd Pletcher |
| 5 |
Vow to Wager 3, c. |
Broken Vow |
120 |
Miguel Mena |
Dale Romans |
| 6 |
Prince Will I Am 3, c. |
Victory Gallop |
116 |
Calvin Borel |
Michelle Nihei |
| 7 |
Max Silverhammer 3, g. |
Wild and Wicked |
118 |
Francisco Torres |
William Denzik, Jr. |
June 12, $125,000, 3yo, f, 1 1/8M, Churchill Downs, 4:59 PM ET
| Post |
Horse |
Sire |
Weight |
Jockey |
Trainer |
| 1 |
Go Ask Alex 3, f. |
Afleet Alex |
116 |
Jon Court |
John Glenney |
| 2 |
La Gran Bailadora 3, f. |
Afleet Alex |
116 |
Eibar Coa |
Andrew McKeever |
| 3 |
Caminadora 3, f. |
More Than Ready |
116 |
Corey Nakatani |
Todd Pletcher |
| 4 |
Joharmony 3, f. |
Johar |
118 |
Javier Castellano |
Leigh Delacour |
| 5 |
Queen of the Creek 3, f. |
Theatrical (IRE) |
116 |
Jose Lezcano |
Thomas Proctor |
| 6 |
Jody Slew 3, f. |
Slew City Slew |
118 |
Miguel Mena |
W. Calhoun |
| 7 |
Ambitoness 3, f. |
Action This Day |
116 |
Jamie Theriot |
William Cesare |
| 8 |
It's Tea Time 3, f. |
Dynaformer |
116 |
Garrett Gomez |
George Arnold, II |
| 9 |
Queen Hazel 3, f. |
Monarchos |
116 |
Brian Hernandez, Jr. |
Daniel Sanner |
| 10 |
Dynazaper 3, f. |
Ghostzapper |
116 |
Robby Albarado |
William Mott |
| 11 |
Beautician 3, f. |
Dehere |
116 |
Alex Solis |
Kenneth McPeek |
| 12 |
Snow Top Mountain 3, f. |
Najran |
116 |
Frederic Lenclud |
Thomas Proctor |
| 13 |
Laura Babe 3, f. |
City Zip |
116 |
Calvin Borel |
Richard Jackson |
June 12, $600,000, 3yo & up, 1 1/8M, Churchill Downs, 5:29 PM ET
| Post |
Horse |
Sire |
Weight |
Jockey |
Trainer |
| 1 |
A. U. Miner 5, h. |
Mineshaft |
113 |
Francisco Torres |
Clark Hanna |
| 2 |
Battle Plan 5, h. |
Empire Maker |
119 |
Javier Castellano |
Todd Pletcher |
| 3 |
Giant Oak 4, c. |
Giant's Causeway |
115 |
Shaun Bridgmohan |
Chris Block |
| 4 |
Duke of Mischief 4, c. |
Graeme Hall |
116 |
Eibar Coa |
David Fawkes |
| 5 |
Arson Squad 7, g. |
Brahms |
120 |
Paco Lopez |
Richard Dutrow, Jr. |
| 6 |
General Quarters 4, c. |
Sky Mesa |
120 |
Alex Solis |
Thomas McCarthy |
| 7 |
Honest Man 6, h. |
Unbridled's Song |
115 |
Jose Lezcano |
Anthony Dutrow |
| 8 |
No Advantage 5, h. |
Posse |
117 |
Calvin Borel |
Stephanie Beattie |
| 9 |
Macho Again 5, h. |
Macho Uno |
116 |
Robby Albarado |
Dallas Stewart |
| 10 |
Demarcation 6, g. |
Gulch |
115 |
Miguel Mena |
Paul McGee |
| 11 |
Blame 4, c. |
Arch |
120 |
Garrett Gomez |
Albert Stall, Jr. |
READER COMMENTS
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Posted by: carolyn kolseth, orlando, FL on June 11, 2010 at 11:32 AM
To Brian G How dare you ,”little man” put the Jackson’s Rachel or Curlin in your moronic and uneducated view of horseracing..I feel like punching your lights out you moron. .please go back to your Quilting Hobby where your ignorance will be covered up!!!!!!!….Carolyn Kolseth
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Posted by: medlocke, Nancy, KY on June 10, 2010 at 09:44 PM
I personally think that Blame is currently the only other older colt in America that could potential have a shot a beating Quality Road, should they meet anywhere along the way to the Breeders Cup. 5 wins, and 1 place in 6 lifetime starts, Blame has proven quite difficult to beat. And I believe he'll prove quite difficult to beat for Rachel Alexandra, or any of the other colts that are to race in the Stephen Foster Handicap. That would give Blame his first Grade 1 win, along with the 3 Grade 2, and 1 Grade 3 win he already has in his six starts. If he win's the Stephen Foster, he'd be the only other older male with a legit case as the top older male in America over conventional dirt. Which would mean he should then potentially be looking to go to Saratoga for either the Whitney Handicap or the Woodward Stakes this summer for a showdown with Quality Road, and a chance to prove his metal against America's current top older male on conventional dirt. JMO.
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Posted by: Frank, New Orleans, LA on June 10, 2010 at 06:51 PM
Stick a fork in this filly. She's done!! Jackson and Asmussen ruined this filly by asking her a far too taxing campaign in 2009. And it's showing on her in 2010. Even if she win's her next start, Rachel Alexandra will be beaten by Blame, and likely others in the Stephen Foster Handicap. I personally think this filly is about 1 or 2 losses tops away from retirement. JMO.
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Posted by: JT, HAWTHORNE, CA on June 10, 2010 at 01:28 PM
Jess Jackson's approach of turning RA out and then rushing to get her fit was a counter productive decision. They set that horse back drastically and it is apparent that she has not responded well to what they were asking her to do (win), given her condition or lack of. A horse will let you know when they are ready. What happened is that Jackson and Steve thought that last years wins and the Eclipse award...combined with a rush to get her back to the track would result in a guaranteed win....the reality was that the horse was rused back in training and no amount of meny or an Eclipse award will guarantee a win.
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Posted by: Roberto R, Guaynabo, PR on June 10, 2010 at 01:15 PM
RA's connections are bringing her up to her highest fitness level little by little. Her final objective is the BCC, if she ever comes to it fit enough to race in that company. Same is happenning to Big Z, but she has held her own. But from what I'm seeing here, they will probably never meet, so for what it's worth, Big Z is the best female of all time IMO.
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