Blame guide: Odds, analysis, PPs for Churchill feature
Saturday is Stephen Foster preview day at Churchill Downs, and anchoring the action is the Grade 3, $275,000 Blame Stakes.
A prelude to the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) on June 29, the Blame will task a field of 11 with a 1 1/8-mile journey around the Louisville, Ky., oval.
Post time for the Blame, the 10th of 11 races on the program, is scheduled for 5:27 p.m. EDT. The race will be broadcast live on FanDuel TV.
Visit Horse Racing Nation’s free past performances page today for downloadable PPs for the Blame and more courtesy of our partners at Brisnet.
We also have Super Screener picks and analysis for the Blame as well as recent top speed figures for each contender.
Blame Stakes best speed figures
| Post | Horse | ML | Beyer | TimeformUS | HRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frosted Departure | 15-1 | 99 | 121 | 106 |
| 2 | Highland Falls | 5-2 | 104 | 123 | 106 |
| 3 | War Campaign | 9-2 | 97 | 122 | 108 |
| 4 | Uncle Jake | 30-1 | 90 | 116 | 106 |
| 5 | Tapit Trice | 3-1 | 100 | 118 | 105 |
| 6 | Dreamlike | 4-1 | 104 | 126 | 109 |
| 7 | Classic Causeway | 30-1 | 100 | 119 | 102 |
| 8 | Last Samurai | 20-1 | 105 | 125 | 107 |
| 9 | Cagliostro | 6-1 | 98 | 123 | 101 |
| 10 | Five Star General | 30-1 | 97 | 118 | 108 |
| 11 | Trademark | 12-1 | 102 | 128 | 105 |
Looking at the pace
Long shot Five Star General is projected to go out and set a fast pace in the Blame Stakes, with Frosted Departure giving chase from his inside draw along with Uncle Jake.
Race favorites Highland Falls, Tapit Trice, and Dreamlike are all expected to linger at the back early on.
Pace projector appears courtesy of TimeformUS.
HRN picks for the Blame Stakes
This week's Super Screener has picks for all the Saturday stakes at Churchill Downs, including the Shawnee Stakes (G3) featuring Hoosier Philly.
“Hoosier Philly may get overlooked some in the wagers, but form-cycle analysis is flashing a bullish signal for her return to her previous top-established form,” Mike Shutty said. "She really did appear to go off form last year but appears to be rounding back into top form while returning to Churchill, where she is undefeated in three starts. She is sitting on a big performance and is a viable win contender offering value."
Get the Belmont Stakes through Breeders' Cup Super Screener package now for just $127, a savings of $360.
Speaking of the Belmont Stakes, Ed DeRosa's updated Belmont Stakes fair odds see Sierra Leone and Mindframe taking the most money following the defection of Fierceness.
J. Keeler Johnson is eager to see Highland Falls get back to racing in the Blame Stakes, and he explains why in his latest Horses to Watch column.
Laurie Ross and Ashley Tamulonis went Head-to-Head handicapping the Blame Stakes and agreed that Highland Falls should hit the superfecta along with long shot Frosted Departure, but they diverged regarding the chances of Tapit Trice.
Brian Zipse and Matt Shifman previewed the Blame Stakes and the Belmont Stakes, among other races, in the latest edition of HorseCenter.
NYRA TV analyst Sara Elbadwi joined the Ron Flatter Racing Pod to share some early analysis of the Belmont Stakes as well as the Met Mile.
Here's the field for the Blame Stakes (G3):