The Blame Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for four-year-olds and older over a distance of miles on the dirt scheduled annually in late May or early June at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The event currently offers a purse of $300,000.
History
The event is named after Blame, the 2010 U.S. Champion Older Male Horse who won the 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs. In February 2020, Churchill Downs announced that a race named in Blame's honor would be run beginning in May 2020 — The Blame Stakes, a prep race for the $500,000 Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) June 27 at Churchill Downs.
The event was inaugurated on 23 May 2020 and run over a distance of one mile and was won by Rupp Racing's Owendale. Owendale starting as second favorite at odds of 7/2 was ridden by jockey Florent Geroux who settled last from the gate, was in the seven path into the lane, rallied down the stretch while widest and edged past three wide in the final stages to win by half a length over longshot Everfast in a time of 1:34.74.
In 2021, the distance for the event was increased to miles.
In 2023 the event was upgraded by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to a Grade III.
Records Speed record miles: 1:48.45 – Mystik Dan (2025)
Margins lengths – Mystik Dan (2025) lengths – Rattle N Roll (2023)
Most wins by a jockey 2 – Florent Geroux (2020, 2024) 2 – Brian Hernandez Jr. (2023, 2025) 2 – Tyler Gaffalione (2022, 2026)
Most wins by a trainer 2 – Brad H. Cox (2020, 2024)
Most wins by an owner No owner has won the event more than once
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref2026 Original Sin 4 Tyler Gaffalione Brendan P. Walsh Calumet Farm miles1:49.39$290,000III2025 Mystik Dan 4 Lance Gasaway, 4 G Racing, Daniel Hamby III & Valley View Farm miles1:48.45$270,000III2024 Highland Falls 4 Florent Geroux Brad H. Cox Godolphin miles1:48.51$270,000III2023 Rattle N Roll 4 Brian Hernandez Jr.Kenneth G. McPeek Lucky Seven Stable miles 1:48.93$225,000III2022 Dynamic One 4 Tyler Gaffalione Todd A. Pletcher Repole Stable, Phipps Stable & St. Elias Stable miles 1:48.54$198,750 Listed2021Mighty Heart (CAN)4 James GrahamJosie Carroll Lawrence Cordes miles1:50.00$150,000 2020Owendale 4 Florent GerouxBrad H. CoxRupp Racing1 mile 1:34.74$100,000
See also List of American and Canadian Graded races
References