Sunland Park Oaks Winner Blamed Out of Kentucky Oaks
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Blamed, winner of five consecutive races, works at Churchill Downs April 25
Cleber Massey's Blamed, winner of the March 25 Sunland Park Oaks and a strong contender for the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), has a hairline fracture in her right hind pastern and has been withdrawn from consideration for the $1 million race May 4 at Churchill Downs.
The bay filly, trained by Joel Marr, worked a half-mile April 28 in :48 2/5 in preparation for the nine-furlong Oaks. She appeared "off" while being asked to jog in the shedrow Sunday morning and was X-rayed soon afterward.
"She's walking fine," Marr said from Churchill's Barn 43. "But she didn't look good enough, so we went ahead and did the X-rays."
Marr said she'd ship to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington later Sunday.
Bred in Maryland by Sagamore Farm, Blamed is a daughter of Blame out of the Giant's Causeway mare Salsa Star. Blamed, a winner of five of six starts and $241,260, has made all of her starts in New Mexico. She broke her maiden and won an allowance at Zia Park, then ripped off three straight wins at Sunland Park: the Jan. 28 El Paso Times Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs, the Feb. 25 Island Fashion Stakes at a mile, and the 1 1/16-mile Sunland Park Oaks.
"It should be a relatively short recovery," Marr said. "We'll do what we can do for her and try to get her back when she's ready."