Global Campaign Could Have Edge in Loaded Blame Stakes

The inaugural $100,000 Blame Stakes May 23 at Churchill Downs has drawn an enviable field of 14.

In fact, only one entry in the one-mile contest—Preakness Stakes (G1) runner-up Everfast—is not a stakes winner. Though the Take Charge Indy  colt trained by Jack Sisterton for Calumet Farm came within 1 1/4 lengths of winning the 3-year-old classic last year, he has yet to win a race beyond his first start out of 16 tries.

And the Blame Stakes for 4-year-olds and up may not be an easy spot.

Preakness third Owendale and Pennsylvania Derby (G1) runner-up Mr. Money are top contenders in the Blame and will use the race as a prep for the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) on Churchill's closing day.

Neither of the 4-year-old colts has won since late summer or fall of last year, and Owendale has not raced since finishing second in the Nov. 29 Clark Stakes Presented by Norton Healthcare (G1) at the Louisville track for trainer Brad Cox and Rupp Racing.

Racing at eight tracks, the son of Into Mischief  won four races in his sophomore season, including the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes (G3) in April, the Ohio Derby (G3) in his next start after the Preakness, and the Sept. 29 Oklahoma Derby (G3) after finishing fifth in the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1). He also raced off the board in the Nov. 2 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

Owendale will be ridden by Florent Geroux from post 8.

Trained by Bret Calhoun for Allied Racing Stable and Spendthrift Farm, Mr. Money won four consecutive graded stakes last year. After failing to place in two Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) points races, the son of Goldencents  won the Pat Day Mile Presented by LG and E and KU (G3) on Derby Day. He then won the Matt Winn Stakes (G3), Indiana Derby (G3), and West Virginia Derby (G3).

But, much like Owendale, Mr. Money failed to place in the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1). He kicked off 2020 in the Oaklawn Mile Stakes, finishing sixth.

Mr. Money drew post 13, and Gabriel Saez will ride.

Unlike many others entered in the Blame who have back class and are looking to return to form, Global Campaign may have an edge. The Curlin  half brother to grade 1 winner and sire Bolt d'Oro  won his season debut off a lengthy layoff after rating behind a contested pace, outrunning a field that included grade 2-placed Spinoff, who contested both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes (G1).

In his last race of 2019, Global Campaign finished third behind Tax and Tacitus in the July 27 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course.

"He came out of his race off a long layoff good and seems to be coming into this good. He had a good work over the racetrack, and we are hoping for the best," trainer Stanley Hough said. "He wasn't 100% (after the Jim Dandy), so we sent him to Dr. Bramlage (at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington), and he was diagnosed with bone bruising. We turned him out for a lengthy time, and he had a couple hiccups starting back, but once he started and we got him back to the racetrack, he started coming around and doing very well.

"We just think he's a very good horse and very, very talented, so we are just glad to have him back."

Lightly raced, Sagamore Farm and WinStar Farm's Global Campaign, who made his debut in January 2019, has had only six starts. The colt won his first two starts at seven furlongs and 1 1/16 miles by a combined eight lengths. But when he was bumped up in class, he finished fifth behind winner Code of Honor in the Xpressbet Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2). Hough said the colt grabbed a quarter in that race.

"We were disappointed that day," Hough said. "But he didn't just grab it, he almost took the entire quarter of his foot off. … It took us a little work to get through that and get back."

When Global Campaign returned to the races in May, he defeated eventual Belmont Stakes winner Sir Winston by 1 1/4 lengths in the 1 1/8-mile Peter Pan Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park.

Jose Ortiz has the mount for the first time from post 3.

Other 4-year-olds looking to rebound include Dallas Stewart-trained Long Range Toddy, who competed in the Arkansas Derby (G1) and Kentucky Derby last year but has not won since the Rebel Stakes (G2) in March 2019. In two starts this year at Oaklawn Park, the son of Take Charge Indy finished off the board.

The 4-year-old gelding Alwaysmining won two minor stakes at Laurel Park at the beginning of 2020 and most recently finished third in another stakes at the Maryland track. In two attempts at the graded level, including the Preakness, he finished off the board.

Leading the older horses is the frontrunning 5-year-old Diamond King, who won the March 7 Stymie Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack in his most recent start. Though Diamond King has shown potential, finishing second or third in six graded stakes, the son of Quality Road  and full brother to grade 1 winner Bellafina has not been able to score a breakthrough win in the graded ranks.

Calhoun also entered 6-year-old gelding Silver Dust, who took the Feb. 15 Mineshaft Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. The son of Tapit  was elevated to fourth in the March 21 New Orleans Classic Stakes (G2) in his most recent start.

Entries: Blame S.

Churchill Downs, Saturday, May 23, 2020, Race 9

• STK
• 1m
• Dirt
• $100,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 5:12 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Long Range Toddy (KY)	Jon Kenton Court	120	Dallas Stewart	20/1
2	2Bourbon Resolution (KY)	Chris Landeros	120	Ian R. Wilkes	30/1
3	3Global Campaign (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	120	Stanley M. Hough	9/2
4	4Alwaysmining (MD)	Manuel Franco	120	Kelly Rubley	20/1
5	5Everfast (KY)	Joel Rosario	120	Jack Sisterson	30/1
6	6Backyard Heaven (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	120	Michael J. Maker	6/1
7	7Silver Dust (KY)	Adam Beschizza	122	W. Bret Calhoun	8/1
8	8Owendale (KY)	Florent Geroux	120	Brad H. Cox	3/1
9	9Extrordinary Jerry (FL)	Javier Castellano	120	Dermot Magner	12/1
10	10Snapper Sinclair (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	120	Steven M. Asmussen	15/1
11	11American Anthem (KY)	David Cohen	120	Danny Gargan	15/1
12	12Discreet Lover (FL)	John Bisono	120	Uriah St. Lewis	30/1
13	13Mr. Money (KY)	Gabriel Saez	120	W. Bret Calhoun	5/1
14	14Diamond King (KY)	Kendrick Carmouche	120	John C. Servis	10/1