Blame Powers Home In William Donald Schaefer Stakes
BALTIMORE, 05-15-10 – Adele B. Dilschneider & Claiborne Farm’s Blame powered his way between horses in mid-stretch and drew away to victory in Saturday’s $100,000 William Donald Schaefer Stakes at Pimlico.
Racing comfortably in a stalking position under jockey Garrett Gomez during the early going of the Grade 3 stakes, Blame came home a popular winner ($4.40) while completing the 1-1/16-mile distance in 1:43.40. No Advantage, the 2009 Schaefer victor, finished 1 ½ lengths back. Timber Reserve finished another half-length back in third.
Blame was making his first start of the year for trainer Albert M. Stall, Jr. while winning for the sixth time in nine starts. Blame captured the Curlin Stakes at Saratoga, the Grade 3 Fayette Stakes at Keeneland and the Grade 2 Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs last year.
William Donald Schaefer Stakes Quotes
Al Stall (winning trainer, Blame) – “We knew he was ready to run, but that doesn’t mean anything until you actually see it. We’re happy to see him back in form. It was a perfect race. Garrett had to use him to get through that hole a little bit, but he got a lot out of it on a deepish racetrack. It looks like we’re going to the Stephen Foster (at Churchill Downs, June 12).
Garrett Gomez (winning jockey, Blame) – “The pace was OK going up the backside, but Johnny (Velazquez aboard Understatement) tried to slow it down and I was right on top of them. He was tracking well and we had to wait a little bit until things settled. He went between them and gave me a big finish. I knew he was a nice horse.”
Stephanie Beattie (trainer, No Advantage, 2nd) – “I thought he ran really great today. I was very tickled with him. Coming off a poor performance at Charles Town, he came down here and rebounded. Sorry I didn’t win, but we got beat by a nice horse.”
Manuel Chaves (jockey, No Advantage, 2nd) – “I was having a little trouble on the backside and in the lane also. I got stopped a couple times, but then he ran good. The horse ran big.”
John Kimmel (trainer, Timber Reserve, 3rd) – “I think everything was perfect until the guys got in a hurry at the five-eighths pole and the jock said it kind of forced him to not lose his position. He kind of squeezed him a little bit and then, man, (Timber Reserve) got real tough with him and got strong. Had they sat back a little longer, he probably would have been able to at least finish second, and who knows?”
Javier Castellano (jockey, Timber Reserve, 3rd) – “He was really good. I’m satisfied with the way he did today. He improved a lot and it was a good race.”
-mjc-
PHOTO CREDIT-Jim McCue, Maryland Jockey Club
Mike Gathagan
Vice President-Communications
Maryland Jockey Club
410-578-4461 (Pimlico)
301-470-5461 (Laurel Park)
240-876-7403 (Mobile)
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