Put Da Blame On Me finds easier spot

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Mike Tomlinson would rather have a horse at 2-1 than 20-1 – and what trainer wouldn’t?

Such a major difference will be realized Thursday evening at Churchill Downs for a filly named Put Da Blame On Me following her being scratched last weekend from the Chicago Handicap.

“I like that plan a lot,” Tomlinson said. “We entered the Chicago not knowing whether this race would fill. When it went, that’s when we came out.”

Likewise, Mines and Magic was scratched from the Chicago by trainer Vicki Oliver, setting up an attractive matchup in the seventh of nine races on the final Twilight Thursday card of the 38-day spring meet. In all, eight fillies and mares are in the $59,700, third-level allowance, which goes at a mile on the main track. First post is 5 p.m. Eastern, with the feature set for 7:54.

In her last start here May 28, Put Da Blame On Me broke loose with a visually impressive 7 1/2-length victory. Owned by Mike Bruder, the 4-year-old filly will have Jimmy Graham back aboard when breaking from post 7.

“She’d had some issues here and there, but we finally got it all lined out,” said Tomlinson, who has enjoyed a solid meet by winning eight races, including two wins each on opening night (April 29) and May 28. “We’ve got her going good again. I do believe if she runs her race back, she’s going to be awfully tough. She’s got the perfect post for her running style. Hopefully, it works in our favor to win right back.”

Mines and Magic (post 4, Robby Albarado), the winner of the Dogwood Stakes here last fall, comes off a narrow defeat in a May 27 allowance behind She Mabee Wild, who returned Saturday to finish fourth behind the heavily favored Finley’sluckycharm in the Chicago.

Other contenders include Nineteenth Street (post 2, Gabriel Saez), stretching out off a June 2 allowance win, and Alotta Skirt (post 3, Corey Lanerie), a two-time winner over the Churchill surface.

Two other allowances (races 2 and 8) also are part of the penultimate card of the meet. An 11-race Downs After Dark program (6 p.m. first post) closes the meet Friday.

KEY CONTENDERS

Put Da Blame On Me, by Blame Last 3 Beyers: 89-74-63

◗ The struggle was real for this filly for a sustained period before she finally turned the corner upon returning to Churchill, where that last victory was a career benchmark.

Mines and Magic, by Mineshaft Last 3 Beyers: 82-78-82

◗ Owned and co-bred by G. Watts Humphrey, the trainer’s father, this 4-year-old filly has shown ability from the outset and seems primed for a big effort.

Nineteenth Street, by Proud Citizen Last 3 Beyers: 80-76-76

◗ Distance is the obvious question for a 3-year-old filly whose last four starts for trainer Steve Margolis have netted three wins and a runner-up finish in an ungraded stakes.