Although the older dirt male division lacks a clear cut leader approaching the midway point of the season, trainer Brad Cox can at least point to the depth of his roster, which was enhanced by Highland Falls‘ victory in Saturday’s $270,000 Blame (G3) at Churchill Downs.
The 1 1/8-mile Blame is the first stakes win for the relatively unexposed Highland Falls, a four-year-old Godolphin homebred by Curlin and out of Round Pond, who scored her signature win at Churchill in the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1).
The odds-on choice in the Blame after scratches reduced the original field of 11 down to seven, Highland Falls enjoyed a ground-saving trip most of the way under Flavien Prat. Tipped out in upper stretch to challenge Cagliostro, who had inherited the lead from pacesetter Frosted Departure, Highland Falls finally caught that rival deep in the final sixteenth and won going away by one length.
Highland Falls finished up in 1:48.51 over a fast track and paid $3.90. Cagliostro had two lengths on Dreamlike, who had a 4 1/2-length margin on Trademark. Frosted Departure, War Campaign, and Last Samurai rounded out the order of finish. Among the quartet of scratches was 2023 Blue Grass (G1) winner Tapit Trice.
The Blame was billed as a track-and-distance prep for the Stephen Foster (G1) later this month, but Cox already has Alysheba (G2) winner First Mission pointing for that race. Also among the barn’s top older horses is Grade 1 veteran Saudi Crown, who has not yet returned to the worktab since a dull performance in the Godolphin Mile (G2) in late March.
Where Highland Falls ends up next is to be determined, but he will bring to it a highly progressive record. Making his belated debut last August at Ellis Park, Highland Falls would win three of his first four starts, all in overnight company.
His stakes debut, in the 1 1/4-mile Santa Anita H. (G1) in early March, resulted in a fourth-place finish against a more experienced field. His follow-up was better, a second-place finish in the Oaklawn H. (G2) to Skippylongstocking, who is expected to take on First Mission in the Stephen Foster.
Highland Falls is the third stakes winner produced by Round Pond, following Long River and Lake Lucerne. Round Pond is also the second dam of Grade 1 scorer Speaker’s Corner.
The heaviest favorite in Churchill’s six stakes on Saturday was Skelly in the $260,000 Aristides S., but the 35-100 choice ran out of gas inside the final furlong after rushing up to set the pace after a slow start.
The winner of the Aristides, Closethegame Sugar, was the second longest price in the field of of seven and prevailed by a length over Skelly in a time of 1:08.39 for six furlongs. Tejano Twist was third. Owned by trainer Adam Rice and Sugar Diaz, Closethegame Sugar sped six furlongs in 1:08.39 under Irad Ortiz Jr. and returned $38.92.
A four-year-old son of Girvin, Closethegame Sugar was making only his second start ever on the dirt, following a second-place effort in a May 2 allowance at Churchill. Closethegame Sugar had previously run five times, winning twice on turf and once over Tapeta.
In three previous stakes appearances last season, Closethegame Sugar won the Mahony S. at Saratoga on turf, finished second in the Tom Ridge S. at Presque Isle Downs, and placed fourth in the Franklin-Simpson (G2) at Kentucky Downs.
