Blame Stakes

Calumet Farm homebred Original Sin (Curlin) was sent into the lead fully three furlongs from home in Saturday's GIII Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs and just managed to fend off Ohio-bred Who Dey (Liam's Map) for his first win at the black-type level. Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) was locked away in traffic for the first half of the stretch run and by the time he was able to shake loose, was only able to fill out the bottom of the triple in a race that had everyone seeing gray....

Since his upset victory in the GI Kentucky Derby nearly 400 days ago, not a whole lot had gone right for Mystik Dan (Goldencents). Yes, he was a meritorious second to a loose-on-the-lead Seize the Grey (Arrogate) in the GI Preakness Stakes, but he subsequently failed to shine in the GI Belmont Stakes, the GI Malibu Stakes when racing first off a 6 1/2-month absence and the GI Pegasus World Cup, defeating a total of four horses. Trainer Ken McPeek has remained unflappable and unwavering in his belief that Mystik...

Four weeks removed from the running of the GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs stages its second stacked weekend of the spring/summer meeting, with five Grade IIIs and one listed contest on 'Stephen Foster Preview' Day. The program serves as a steppingstone to Foster Day itself in a month's time. A field of 10 has been entered for the GIII Blame Stakes, the course-and-distance prep for the $1-million GI Stephen Foster Stakes, a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. Gary and Mary...

Cagliostro (Upstart), who was a stakes winner and twice Grade III-placed after being acquired privately by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani's Wathnan Racing in the spring of 2024, has been sent to Meydan for the Dubai Carnival, where he will be trained by Hamad Al-Jehani. The operation's American representative, Case Clay, confirmed the news via text Monday. Bred in Florida by Lance Colwell and Janice Clark, Cagliostro was originally trained by Cherie DeVaux for a partnership that included her husband, bloodstock agent David Ingordo, West Point Thoroughbreds, Nice Guys...

Getting a 3-year-old to peak precisely on the first Saturday of May is an over-arching goal in our sport. But even for the very upper crust of colts, a brush with GI Kentucky Derby aspirations ends up being nothing more than an early diversion on a much longer development arc. It's always intriguing to watch how one-time Derby hopefuls progress over months and even years, and two of them from Todd Pletcher's barn signaled Saturday that they might be A-level factors in the second half of this season. Within the...