A small but competitive field of six lines up for the Oct. 18 running of the $125,000 Rood and Riddle Dowager Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland, where graded stakes-placed 3-year-old Blame Debbie will take on her elders in the 1 1/2-mile turf test for fillies and mares.
Since switching surfaces this year, Blame Debbie, a daughter of Blame , has put together some notable performances on the grass, including a game third in a June 21 allowance-level race at Belmont Park where she was narrowly beaten by recent Flower Bowl Stakes (G1T) heroine Civil Union. Following that effort, the Graham Motion trainee blew the turn when checking in sixth in the Lake Placid Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course before being disqualified for veering into the course of a competitor in a Sept. 9 Kentucky Downs allowance-level contest after crossing the wire 2 1/2 lengths in front. In her most recent start, the bay put it all together—and kept a straight course—when driving home a clear winner on the Keeneland lawn Oct. 2.
"(Blame Debbie) ran really well (on Keeneland's) opening day, and I left her at Keeneland thinking this race might be something we would like to try with her," Motion said. "She's done really well the last few weeks out there, so I'm not hesitant to put her back in. I do think this type of race is what she wants to do. It's just a big step, 3-year-olds taking on older horses, but we're kind of getting to that time of year anyway."
Manny Franco has the call on Blame Debbie—owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Micheal Cloonan, and Timothy Thornton—from post 2.
Calumet Farm's Siberian Iris will make only her second start outside of California. The 6-year-old mare finished a strong second against the boys three starts back June 21 at Santa Anita Park in the San Juan Capistrano Stakes (G3T). The Richard Mandella trainee was fifth in her most recent start, the Sept. 15 TVG Stakes at Kentucky Downs, and has been training at Keeneland since that effort. She worked a bullet five-eighths in 1.01 4/5 on the Keeneland all-weather training track Oct. 8.
Florent Geroux will have the mount from post 5.
Brazilian group 1 winner Naomi Broadway will be making her second start in the United States. Trained by Paulo Lobo, the Brownwood Farm-owned mare was supplemented into the race following a third-place showing in a Sept. 28 allowance optional claiming event at Indiana Grand.
Joe Talamo rides Naomi Broadway from the outside post 6.
Rounding out the field are With Dignity, Over Thinking, and Always Shopping.
Keeneland, Sunday, October 18, 2020, Race 8Entries: Rood and Riddle Dowager S. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1With Dignity (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 121 Ian R. Wilkes 10/1 2 2Blame Debbie (KY) Manuel Franco 118 H. Graham Motion 2/1 3 3Over Thinking (KY) Rafael Bejarano 121 Victoria H. Oliver 4/1 4 4Always Shopping (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 121 Todd A. Pletcher 5/2 5 5Siberian Iris (IRE) Florent Geroux 121 Richard E. Mandella 5/2 6 6Naomi Broadway (BRZ) Joseph Talamo 121 Paulo H. Lobo 10/1
