Blamed scores fifth straight win with easy Sunland Park Oaks victory

Mar 26, 2018 Jennifer Caldwell/Brisnet.com

Not one filly in Sunday’s $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks, which is part of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks series of points contests, was nominated to the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.

That didn’t stop Cleber J. Massey’s Blamed for making her case to be a late nominee to the Run for the Lilies on May 4 under the Twin Spires.

The bay daughter of Blame took a different tactic on Sunday when the gates opened. Instead of leading the way, as she had done to great success in her prior four starts, the Joel Marr trainee allowed Kram to take command through the early running of the race.

Blamed settled just off the pacesetter’s flank on the backstretch before ranging up to run in tandem rounding the final turn. Effortlessly pulling clear under regular rider Ken Tohill, she soared home a 6 1/4-length winner while stopping the clock in 1:43.32 over the fast dirt at Sunland Park.

Blamed returned $2.80 as the 2-5 heavy favorite and took home 50 points toward a starting berth in the Kentucky Oaks, if nominated.

The Sunland Park Oaks was worth 50-20-10-5 points to the respective top four finishers. Kram earned the runner-up’s share for finishing eight lengths in front of Charge Back on the wire. It was three parts of a length back to fourth-placer Bella Be Ready, with Exotic Beauty completing the order under the line.

Blamed is now 6-5-1-0 in her career having banked $241,260 lifetime. The bay lass ran second in her debut at Zia Park last September 11, but hasn’t missed the mark in five races since. Her past four wins, including the Island Fashion Stakes and El Paso Times Stakes at Sunland Park, all came in front-running fashion and by a total of 24 1/4 lengths.

Bred in Maryland by Sagamore Farm, Blamed is out of the listed-placed Giant’s Causeway mare Salsa Star. She counts as a half-sister stakes runner-up Chubby Star, while their dam is herself a half-sibling to dual Grade 3 victor Pacific Ocean.

Blamed’s fourth dam is Grade 1 queen Dance Number, a half-sister to multiple Grade 1-scoring leading sire Private Account and dam of champion Rhythm.