The ‘Blame’ Game in the Del Mar Futurity
Updated: September 6, 2015 at 3:55 pm
‘TDN Rising Star’ Blameitonthelaw (Blame) will look to take his record to a perfect two-for-two against seven of his fellow juveniles in Monday’s GI Del Mar Futurity on closing day of the meet at the seaside oval.
A $70,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, the bay breezed an eighth of a mile in a slick :10 flat and was knocked down to Richard Templeton’s Doubledown Stables for $320,000 at this year’s OBS March Sale. Blameitonthelaw was sent off the 3-1 second choice in a loaded 5 1/2-furlong Del Mar maiden Aug. 2, and though he did enjoy the run of the race that day, when the gap came at the fence in upper stretch, he exploded through to score by 4 1/2 widening lengths. Who’s Out (Tale of Ekati), fourth that day as the favorite, returned to graduate by 7 1/2 lengths Aug. 29, and Blameitonthelaw looks tough right back.
Nyquist (Uncle Mo) is strictly the one to beat off his 5 1/4-length thrashing of Swipe (Birdstone) and Annie’s Candy (Twirling Candy) in this track’s GII Best Pal S. Aug. 8. A $180,000 Keeneland November weanling and $230,000 graduate of last year’s September sale, Nyquist reached out well to cover a furlong in :10 2/5 over the Gulfstream main track and was purchased by Paul Reddam for $400,000 out of the Fasig-Tipton Florida sale this past winter.
With a dozen Futurities to his credit, including American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) last year, trainer Bob Baffert saddles two this time around, each of whom have several lengths to find with the top three or four runners. Mt Veeder (Ghostzapper) looks the more likely of the duo, having showed good debut speed to break his maiden by a little more than two lengths Aug. 15. Despite the relatively quick turnaround, the chestnut has posted a pair of works, including five furlongs in 1:00 2/5 Sept. 1. Nightly News (Misremebered), one of two maidens in the field, has the rail draw to overcome and exits a runner-up effort over a mile Aug. 26. With Martin Garcia sticking with Mt Veeder, Rafael Bejarano takes over on Nightly News.