The connections that won last year’s William Donald Schaefer Memorial Stakes (gr. III) with eventual champion Blame will seek a double with Apart when the $100,000 event is held May 21 at Pimlico Race Course.
The Schaefer, at 1 1/16 miles, drew a field of nine. It’s scheduled as race 10 on a 13-race Preakness Stakes (gr. I) program at the Maryland racetrack.
Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider’s Blame, trained by Al Stall Jr., won the Schaefer in his first start of 2010 as a 4-year-old. He won the Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) in November but lost Horse of the Year to the mare Zenyatta, who finished a close second in the Classic.
Apart, a 4-year-old by Flatter , was bred and is owned by Dilschneider and trained by Stall. The colt has raced three times this year: a second in the Louisiana Handicap, a third in the Mineshaft Handicap (gr. III), and a second in the New Orleans Handicap (gr. II), all at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
Apart has been working sharply on the Polytrack at Keeneland, including six furlongs in 1:13 on May 9. He has two wins, two seconds, and a third in five starts at the Schaefer distance.
Garrett Gomez, who rode Blame in the Schaefer, rides at 118 pounds.
Wertheimer and Frere’s Colizeo, winner of the grade III Northern Dancer Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs last year, figures among the pacesetters in the Schaefer. The 4-year-old homebred colt by Distorted Humor finished third in the April 3 Skip Away Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park for trainer Todd Pletcher and since has been working at Belmont Park.
John Velazquez will ride Colizeo at 118 pounds.
Earle Mack’s Icabad Crane, who has a win and a third—in the 2008 Preakness—in two starts at Pimlico, has won multiple New York-bred stakes in his career but has been away since Feb. 17. The 6-year-old Jump Start gelding has worked steadily for his return for trainer Graham Motion.
Icabad Crane, with Rajiv Maragh named, is the highweight at 124 pounds.
The forecast for May 21 at Pimlico calls for sunshine with a high in the low 80s.
$100,000 William Donald Schaefer Memorial Stakes (gr. III, Race 10, 4:16 p.m.) 3-Year-Olds and Up, 1 1/16 Miles
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer, ML Odds
1. Researcher (VA) R A Dominguez 118 N R Morris
2. Apart (KY) G K Gomez 118 A M Stall Jr.
3. Eighttofasttocatch (MD) S Russell 124 T L Keefe
4. No Advantage (KY) M Chaves 118 S S Beattie
5. Icabad Crane (NY) R Maragh 124 H G Motion
6. Our Dark Knight (KY) J R Leparoux 118 N P Zito
7. Pleasant Prince (FL) C H Velasquez 118 W A Ward
8. Colizeo (KY) J R Velazquez 124 T A Pletcher
9. Saratoga Red (KY) J K Court 114 D W Lukas