8/29/2020

  9  SAR     The Sword Dancer (GI)  [BC]

       $675.000     4yo&Up      1 1/2m  InTurf          123lbs

Why do I bother to pick against Mb Stables in these huge purse races?  I’m not real bright… and the big stable takes another win as Blame It On Luck closed like a freight train to pass them down the lane and draw away to win The Sword Dancer (GI) by four length in a final time of 2:32.05 for the mile and a half turf stakes on a course labeled soft.  Multiple Shadows also found a good late foot to take the second spot, three-quarters of a length in front of Winter Solstice, with post time favorite Techfluence in fourth. 

The field of twelve loaded into the gate on the inner-turf here at The Spa and as they got away from the gate and made the short run to the far turn, Controlled Power was on the early gas and cleared the field to gain the rail position.  Techfluence showing early speed, along with Chayse along the inside, It’s Anyones Game next to that one, Maniaco del Controll, then back towards the outside to Winter Solstice.  Command Authority back towards the rail, Blame It On Luck along with Thanks For Nothing and Bayou Quartier, Argead and Multiple Shadows was the early trailer.

Around the far turn and thru the stretch the first time by, they had a mile left to run and Controlled Power continued to show the way by three lengths.  Techfluence right in behind that one and tracking the leader, another two lengths back to Its Anyones Game, Chayse on his inside, then another three lengths back to Winter Solstice on the outside of Maniaco del Controll.  Another length back to the foursome of Argead, Bayou Quartier four wide, Thanks For Nothing and Command Authority on the rail, then a gap of two back to the trailing pair, Multiple Shadows and Blame It On Luck.

Through the lane, around the clubhouse turn and now onto the backside with five and a half furlongs to run, Controlled Power still in front by almost three lengths, Techfluence continued to track the leader, three more back to It’s Anyones Game, Chayse continued to skim the hedge, gap of three back to Winter Solstice on the outside of Maniaco del Controll,  another two lengths back to the trio of Argead, Thanks For Nothing between horses and Command Authority along the inside.  Two more back to the trailing trio of Blame It On Luck, Bayou Quartier and Multiple Shadows. 

The field made their way down the backside and were now moving into the far turn with three furlongs left to run, Controlled Power now had a two length lead as Techfluence was moving up and now Its Anyones Game three wide and closing in.  Two more back to Chayse on the hedge, another length and a half to Winter Solstice on the outside of Maniaco del Controll, two more lengths back to Blame It On Luck who was beginning to gain some ground, Command Authority on his flank, Thanks For Nothing four wide and getting under way, another gap to Multiple Shadows, Bayou Quartier and Argead was now the trailer.

Now nearing the furlong marker, we had a real horse race all of the sudden as Techfluence moved up to lead by a half length, Controller Power to the inside and Its Anyones Game down the outside, Chayse trying to sneak up on the rail, a group of five behind then, and the in the blink of an eye, Blame It On Luck up to look Techfluence in the eye, like he was shot out of a cannon as the rest battled it out.

The race to the wire was on, deep stretch and to the finish, Blame It On Luck was in full flight and pulling away with every stride, hitting the wire in front by four widening lengths.  Multiple Shadows closed well to take the place, then a bang-bang finish for third with Winter Solstice nosing out Techfluence.  Chayse was fifth, Conmmand Authority with some late run to be sixth, Controlled Power tiring back to seventh, Maniaco del Controll eighth, Its Anyones Game ninth, Bayou Quartier tenth, Thanks For Nothing eleventh and Argead closed this one out. 

Blame It On Luck is a black 4yo gelded son of Slither – More Booty, by Broomstick Nebraska, and he was bred in Cal by Night Mare Racing.  Acquired by Mb Racing via private sale prior to his racing career, he now shows four wins from fifteen stars and earnings of $771.860.  He seems to be hitting his stride at the best time of the year and I think KEE may be a destination for this one.

$2 Mutuel Prices:

Track: Soft           Time: :49²  1:14³  2:06¹  2:32
$1 Exacta: 5 – 12 Paid 191.80             $1 Trifecta: 5 – 12 – 9 Paid 1,685.70
Scratched: Face Your Fears, Raj Action Packed

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES