In an almost effortless performance, Cleber Massey's Blamed ran clear in the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks for her fifth straight win and third stakes victory at Sunland Park March 25.
The 6 1/4-length victory on Sunland Derby Day earned the 3-year-old daughter of Blame 50 points toward a start in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) and would move her up to sixth on the Oaks leaderboard is she gets nominated to the May 4 Run for the Lilies.
Trained by Joel Marr, Blamed finished second in her Zia Park debut, her only loss so far, but came back to win her second start by 9 1/2 lengths. She has won her five races by a combined 30 1/2 lengths.
One start prior to the Sunland Park Oaks, she outran a field of five other sophomore fillies by 6 1/2 lengths going a mile in the Feb. 25 Island Fashion Stakes at the New Mexico track.
Backed by bettors at odds of 2-5 in the five-horse Sunland Park Oaks, Blamed left post 4 comfortably, settled off the flank of pacesetter Kram, and waited for her signal to go. Kram set fractions of :23.76, 47:74, and 1:11.62 through six furlongs before jockey Ken Tohill let Blamed roll. She took over just past the quarter pole, ran a mile in 1:36.66, and, with a tap of the whip, finished the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.32.
Kram, who battled gamely to stay with the speedy winner, held for second, eight lengths in front of third-place finisher Charge Back. Bella Be Ready and Exotic Beauty completed the order of finish.
Bred in Maryland by Sagamore Farm, Blamed is out of the Giant's Causeway mare Salsa Star.
Sunland Derby Day continued with the $100,000 Harry Henson Handicap at one mile, which drew a field of nine fillies and mares, 3 years and older. The field included the likes of graded stakes-placed Adore and multiple stakes winner K P Wildcat, but it was Summertime Oaks (G2) winner Faypien, backed at odds of 8-5, who edged to a clear 1 3/4-length score for trainer Bob Baffert and the Baoma Corporation.
The Ghostzapper filly brought her record to 4-2-1 from eight starts and pushed her earnings to $380,275. Kell Paso finished second, with Adore staying up for third.
The $100,000 Bill Thomas Memorial Stakes, run at 6 1/2 furlongs, went to Mt Veeder by a neck, giving the 5-year-old son of Ghostzapper his fourth stakes victory.
