Blamed Lands Special Victory in Royal Delta
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Leslie Martin
Blamed wins the Royal Delta Stakes at Gulfstream Park
Ken McCarthy, longtime assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, was all smiles Feb. 16 at Gulfstream Park after Blamed registered a commanding victory in the $150,000 Royal Delta Stakes (G3), a race for fillies and mares named for the three-time Eclipse Award champion and 2019 Hall of Fame finalist trained by Mott.
With Mott at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots to saddle Country House in Saturday's Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2), McCarthy not only saddled Blamed but also assisted in presenting the trophy to owner Cleber Massey.
"It's one of those things that's really unique. She was a terrific filly," said McCarthy, who was on Mott's team during Royal Delta's 2011, 2012, and 2013 championship seasons. "Just to have one in the race is special. Then to win it and be able to present ourselves with the trophy is even nicer."
Blamed, a grade 3 winner in 2018, finished a distant fifth in the Jan. 26 Fasig-Tipton Hurricane Bertie Stakes (G3) behind a victorious Dream Pauline on a sloppy (sealed) track. The 4-year-old daughter of Blame rebounded on a fast track Saturday, opening up an easy lead that was never in jeopardy in the mile stakes. Sent to post as the 4-5 favorite, Blamed and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. covered the distance in 1:35.18 to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths over Mexican star Jala Jala.
"I got a good trip. She broke good and put me in a good position up front. She relaxed so well," Ortiz said. "When I asked her turning for home, she responded very well. She had something left."
Jala Jala, who captured the $300,000 Clasico del Caribe in 2017 and the $100,000 Copa Confraternidad del Caribe in December in her two prior races at Gulfstream, closed from midpack under Emisael Jaramillo to finish second in her U.S. graded stakes debut. Tequilita, the 8-5 second choice ridden by John Velazquez, saved ground after breaking from the rail and finished a neck farther back in third.
Bred in Maryland by Sagamore Farm out of the Giant's Causeway mare Salsa Star, Blamed dominated the 3-year-old filly ranks in New Mexico last year before joining Mott's stable and finishing second in the Oct. 20 Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2) at Keeneland. She won the Comely Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack in her next start to close her 3-year-old season with four stakes wins from five starts.
"She's been so consistent the entire time. We looked at it last time and figured it was the sloppy track. Obviously, it was nice to see her come back and prove us right," McCarthy said. "(Running back in three weeks) is not usually (Mott's) MO, but I think he felt like he wanted to let her prove herself again. She was very consistent last year. She's a good filly."