Jockey Club Gold Cup Results and Analysis

by Patricia Woo | Oct 4 2010

On Saturday, Oct. 2, a small but deep field of six contested the $750,000 Gr. 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park. In a shocker, 7-2 shot Haynesfield beat out favorite Blame in the 1 ¼ mile race.

Attracting the most attention prior to the race was Blame, a 4-year-old son of Arch trained by Albert Stall, who was riding a five-race win streak into the Jockey Club Gold Cup. His victories included the Gr. 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs in June and the Gr. 1 Whitney Handicap at Saratoga in August, and he was sent off as the 4-5 choice under Garrett Gomez. But it was Haynesfield who got away first, with Ramon Dominguez aboard, and the pair headed straight to the front. Well back in second was the duo of Rail Trip and Cornelio Velazquez and third was Rajiv Maragh aboard Hold Me Back; Blame was a distant fourth.

Haynesfield, a 4-year-old son of Speightstown, remained unchallenged - at one point, he held a seven length advantage. It wasn't till the quarter pole that Blame was finally asked to make his move, charging four-wide down the stretch. Still, despite Blame's valiant effort, Haynesfield was uncatchable, bounding home in a winning time of 2:02.48 over a fast track.

Blame was 4 ½ lengths back in second and was followed to the wire by Fly Down, Hold Me Back, Rail Trip and Tranquil Manner.

Despite the disappointing finish, Stall was optimistic about Blame's chances in his year-end target of the Breeders' Cup Classic: “We're in good shape... He's had quite a bit of time off, so we'll be OK.” Blame earned $150,000 for the second-place finish, which boosts his career earnings to $1,051,467; this was his first loss in 2010.

Haynesfield has been lightly raced in 2010 - he began his year with an allowance optional claimer victory at Belmont Park in June after a seven-month layoff and also won his next outing, the Gr. 2 Suburban Handicap, in July. His only loss this year was in the Gr. 1 Whitney Handicap behind Blame; he finished fourth. Steve Asmussen, who trains Haynesfield for Turtle Bird Stable, indicated that the Breeders' Cup Classic was “absolutely under consideration.” The $450,000 earned from the Jockey Club Gold Cup increases Haynesfield's career earnings to $1,116,981; he is now 9-1-1 from 13 career starts.

Third-place finisher Fly Down also has Churchill Downs in his travel plans this November, according to trainer Nick Zito.

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