From the States to Staffordshire: a fine weekend for Blame

Claiborne Farm stallion Blame claimed big-race success in two diverse venues on Saturday, chiefly as his son Nadal put himself firmly in the Kentucky Derby shake-up by landing the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

Now unbeaten in three for Bob Baffert since making his debut at Santa Anita in January, the colt showed the tenacity of his tennis-playing namesake in holding off big outsider Excession by three-quarters of a length after coming under severe pressure in the final furlong.

Five years ago, Baffert used the same race as a lead-up for Triple Crown hero American Pharoah, although the trainer has a strong hand for the Derby - should it go ahead in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak - with the exciting Authentic and Saturday's Santa Anita allowance race winner Charlatan.

Blame, who was not ready for the Derby but rounded off his career with three Grade 1 wins, including the Breeders' Cup Classic of 2010 - in which he dramatically held off Zenyatta by a head to inflict the sole defeat in her stunning career on what was also her swansong - is the sire of four top-level performers so far, including the French Oaks heroine Senga.

Nadal, who is out of a young mare from Sierra Farm, was sold for $65,000 as a yearling but made $700,000 when knocked down to Kerri Radcliffe at Fasig-Tipton's Gulstream Sale.

George Bolton, who owns the colt with Arthur Hoyeau, Barry Lipman, and Mark Mathiesen, explained to TVG that he trusted his agent's instincts.

He said: "He went fast early and held on. I always thought he might be a good two-turn horse having the pedigree he does, and I was a nervous wreck.

"I'm really proud that Kerri Radcliffe picked this horse out. It's a great story, the Curlin went through the ring at $3.65 million, she said the Blame is the one to buy, he's faster than the Curlin, and we're going to pick him up for less because he's by Blame.

"We picked him up for $700,000, which sounds incredibly high for a Blame, but it was worth it."It is less likely that Blame would be considered a potential sire of jumpers, but he had another star on show at the weekend in the David Pipe-trained Main Fact, Blame's only National Hunt winner to date and who made it five consecutive handicap wins during this year with a 15-length dismissal of Kateson in the Burton Union Handicap Hurdle on Uttoxeter's Midlands National card.

Bred by Juddmonte but no high flyer on the Flat in France, he was picked up for just £6,000 by Pipe out of the Dianne Sayer yard at the 2018 Goffs UK Spring horses in training event.

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