Blame the marquee attraction of Belmont’s Super Saturday

Blame (outside) began his current streak of Grade 1 wins in the Stephen Foster (Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography)

BLAME (Arch), who catapulted to the top of the older male ranks with a win
over Quality Road (Elusive Quality) in the August 7 Whitney H. (G1), will hope
to maintain that position as well as enhance his candidacy for Horse of the Year
honors in Saturday’s $750,000
Jockey Club
Gold Cup (G1) at Belmont Park. The 1 1/4-mile Gold Cup is one of five Grade
1 events, all invitational, that will be run on an 11-race program dubbed “Super
Saturday.”

Blame, who also notched the Stephen Foster H. (G1) and William Donald
Schaefer S. (G3) earlier this season, brings a five-race win streak into the
Gold Cup for trainer Al Stall Jr. His best race so far was the Whitney, where he
ran down a loose-on-the-lead Quality Road by a head while in receipt of five
pounds from his rival. The weight-for-age conditions of the Gold Cup and
stretch-out to 10 furlongs is unlikely to hamper the progress of this special
colt, who will be guided once again by Garrett Gomez.

RAIL TRIP (Jump Start), one of Southern California’s leading older males the
past two seasons, makes his dirt debut for new trainer Rick Dutrow in this spot.
The five-year-old gelding, who’s had to deal with various foot problems during
his career, was transferred away from trainer Ron Ellis over the summer
following a stellar Golden State career that included scores in the 2009
Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) and 2010 renewals of the Californian S. (G2) and Mervyn
LeRoy H. (G2). The millionaire has never run out of the money in 12 career
starts.

Paddy O’Prado brings a three-race winning skein into the Joe Hirsch (Four Footed Fotos)

Three-year-old turf sensation PADDY O’PRADO (El Prado [Ire]) will attempt to
follow in the footsteps of another Dale Romans trainee, champion Kitten’s Joy, by beating
older males in the $500,000
Joe
Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) over 1 1/2 miles. The gray has virtually run out of
competition against his own age group after summer scores in the Secretariat S.
(G1), Virginia Derby (G2) and Colonial Cup Turf (G2), and could enhance his
prospects for an Eclipse Award with a victory here.

TELLING (A.P. Indy), a two-time winner of the Sword Dancer Invitational (G1),
is also in the mix along with Bowling Green H. (G2) winner AL KHALI (Medaglia
d’Oro), Manhattan H. (G1) hero and Bowling Green runner-up WINCHESTER
(Theatrical [Ire]), Grade 3 victor and Sword Dancer runner-up BEARPATH
(Dynaformer), and Dixie S. (G2) victor STRIKE A DEAL (Smart Strike).

Other notables include French Group 1 winner NEVER ON SUNDAY (Fr) (Sunday
Break [Jpn]), who’s been sidelined since the Gulfstream meeting; the multiple
Grade/Group 2-winning mare TREAT GENTLY (GB) (Cape Cross [Ire]); and
INTERPATATION (Langfuhr), who pulled off a stunner against Gio Ponti (Tale of
the Cat) in boggy conditions in last year’s Turf Classic and should be every bit
of 43-1 again based on his current form.

Gozzip Girl is looking for her first win since running away with last year’s American Oaks (Benoit Photos)

FOREVER TOGETHER (Belong to Me), the champion of her division in 2008, and
Grade 1 veteran GOZZIP GIRL (Dynaformer), are both trying to rekindle some of
their old glory but look to be up against it based on the trajectory of their
current form lines. More interesting are multiple Grade 2 winner SHARED ACCOUNT
(Pleasantly Perfect), who missed by a nose in the Diana S. (G1) last out, and
Grade 3 heroines CHANGING SKIES (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), KEERTANA (Johar) and AVE
(GB) (Danehill Dancer).

The $350,000
Beldame
S. (G1), a 1 1/8-mile race many expected to have the now-retired Rachel
Alexandra in its lineup, instead got a field of six fillies and mares including
two fillies that beat the reigning Horse of the Year this season. UNRIVALED
BELLE (Unbridled’s Song) beat the champ in the La Troienne S. (G2) prior to
second-place efforts in the Ogden Phipps H. (G1) and Ruffian Invitational H.
(G1), while the long-winded PERSISTENTLY (Smoke Glacken) got the better of
Rachel in the 10-furlong Personal Ensign S. (G1) on August 29.

LIFE AT TEN (Malibu Moon), who landed the Ogden Phipps, Delaware H. (G2) and
Sixty Sails H. (G3) prior to throwing a clunker in the Personal Ensign, is a
threat to rebound. Also attempting to rebound from a dull performance is QUEEN
MARTHA (Rahy), second to Rachel Alexandra in the Lady’s Secret S. in July but a
well-beaten fourth in the Molly Pitcher S. (G2) in her follow-up. The multiple
Grade 1-placed sprinter BONNIE BLUE FLAG (Mineshaft) was cross-entered in the
Beldame as well as Saturday’s Cotillion S. (G2).