Blame saved the historic integrity of the sport

[Dahoss]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

Thats fair. Why didn't blame ever ship west? No one would ever accuse him of being a speed horse and he was 2 for 3 on synthetics. Why didn't he ever ship out west over the three seasons that he was in training?

Why would he? He's better on dirt, so why would they ship across the country and over the rockies to run on a surface he isn't as good on?

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

Why would he? He's better on dirt, so why would they ship across the country and over the rockies to run on a surface he isn't as good on?

He ran a 101 at keeneland and is undefeated on that surface. His only loss on synthetic came in his maiden in a sprint with a bug boy up. He trains over the keeneland surface regularly. How can we say definitively that he is better on dirt? Or should we say "was" better on dirt?

But the fact is that the BC was run in So Cal two years while he was in training and its not like they don't give out money west of the rockies. Why didn't Blame ship out west?

I am not saying he should have but as much heat as Zenyatta's connections have taken for not coming east, couldn't that be put on some that didn't come west? If the competition is so easy out west and the purses are relatively the same, why not get the money and the easy black type?

[Dahoss]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

He ran a 101 at keeneland and is undefeated on that surface. His only loss on synthetic came in his maiden in a sprint with a bug boy up. He trains over the keeneland surface regularly. How can we say definitively that he is better on dirt? Or should we say "was" better on dirt?

But the fact is that the BC was run in So Cal two years while he was in training and its not like they don't give out money west of the rockies. Why didn't Blame ship out west?

I am not saying he should have but as much heat as Zenyatta's connections have taken for not coming east, couldn't that be put on some that didn't come west? If the competition is so easy out west and the purses are relatively the same, why not get the money and the easy black type?

First and foremost because his owners need a stallion and breeders aren't rushing to breed to horses that made their mark on synth.

Yes, the Breeders Cup was run out west the last two years. Blame broke his maiden in a 7 furlong race 3 weeks before the '08 BC. Of course he wasn't going to run in the Juvenile. Last year he won his first graded stake one week before the BC. That is why he didn't ship out west to run in the BC.

I know you're just trying to stimulate some sort of discussion, but this is basic stuff. Zenyatta's connections took heat for not running her in more competitive spots. They had opportunities to run her in the Hollywood Gold Cup, Pacific Classic and Goodwood. They didn't and they were in her backyard. Frankly, because of synth the marquee races out west just aren't as important as they were. So, it makes no sense to ship out for them.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

Why would he? He's better on dirt, so why would they ship across the country and over the rockies to run on a surface he isn't as good on?

yeah, he should have shipped and taken on zenyatta in cali.

of course, he's no distaffer, so there goes that.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Danzig

yeah, he should have shipped and taken on zenyatta in cali.

of course, he's no distaffer, so there goes that.

Maybe he was scared of the mighty Richards Kid and Rail Trip like the great mare was?