One of the best races taking place on the final weekend in May is Saturday's $300,000 Blame (G3) at Churchill Downs, a 1 1/8-mile dirt event for older horses that serves as a local steppingstone to next month's Stephen Foster (G1).
The eight-horse field includes a couple of Grade/Group 1 winners: #3 Hit Show (5-2) and #1 Rattle N Roll (4-1). But neither can be viewed as a certain winner in this competitive field.
Churchill Downs, Saturday, May 30, 2026, Race 10Entries: Blame S. (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Rattle N Roll (KY) Flavien Prat 118 Kenneth G. McPeek 4/1 2 2Hall of Fame (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 118 Steven M. Asmussen 6/1 3 3Hit Show (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 120 Brad H. Cox 5/2 4 4Capital Idea (KY) Junior Alvarado 118 William I. Mott 10/1 5 5Who Dey (OH) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 118 Thomas Drury, Jr. 12/1 6 6Original Sin (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 118 Brendan P. Walsh 15/1 7 7Liberal Arts (KY) Reynier Arrieta 118 Heather Irion 20/1 8 8Vibe (KY) Luis Saez 118 Todd A. Pletcher 9/5
Hit Show has been a force to reckon with since 2023, when he won the Withers (G3) and recorded top-five finishes in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont (G1). Through the years, he's won eight graded stakes, and in 2025 he upset future Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Forever Young in the Dubai World Cup (G1).
But Hit Show is making his first start since finishing fifth in the 2026 Dubai World Cup two months ago. In his first start back from the 2025 Dubai World Cup, he finished a dull fifth in the Stephen Foster. Hit Show has posted only four timed workouts since returning from Dubai this year (in contrast to the seven workouts he recorded before last year's Stephen Foster), so I think there's a chance Hit Show will be short of his best for the Blame.
As for Rattle N Roll, the seven-year-old veteran nabbed the 2021 Breeders' Futurity (G1) as a juvenile and has won eight more stakes since then, including the 2023 Blame. But he's only won once in his last eight starts, taking the Tinsel S. at Oaklawn Park, and a recent fifth-place finish in the Ben Ali (G3) suggests Rattle N Roll will need a rebound to conquer this year's Blame field.
Perhaps for these reasons, the morning-line favorite to win the Blame is #8 Vibe (9-5), an up-and-coming son of perennial leading sire Into Mischief. Purchased for $3 million as a yearling, Vibe has won three starts in a row. Last time out, he tracked and pressed the pace in a one-mile $80,000 allowance optional claimer at Churchill Downs before taking over to win by three lengths.
There isn't much speed entered in the Blame, so Vibe figures to enjoy a favorable trip setting or pressing a slow pace. But he's stepping up sharply in class and stretching out around two turns for the first time, so backing Vibe at a short price isn't necessarily an enticing proposition.
Instead, I'm going to back the only other entrant who has consistently shown early speed: #2 Hall of Fame (6-1).
Hall of Fame has shown flashes of talent throughout his career. He was particularly sharp when returning from a layoff for the winter of 2024-25. He won three starts in a row, including the Mineshaft (G3), before running second to Louisiana-bred superstar Touchuponastar in the New Orleans Classic (G2). In that race, Hall of Fame finished ahead of Breeders' Cup Classic winner Sierra Leone and earned a strong 106 Beyer speed figure, the highest number belonging to any of the horses entered in this year's Blame field.
Unfortunately, Hall of Fame's form began to slip after that. He finished third in the Alysheba (G2), fourth in the Blame, and fourth in the San Diego H. (G2), after which he went to the sidelines. He didn't return to serious training until February.
Hall of Fame made his 2026 debut in the seven-furlong Churchill Downs on May 2, his first try at the Grade 1 level and his first sprint start since his November 2023 debut. Unsurprisingly, he failed to factor and finished seventh as a 34-1 longshot.
But with that sprint sharpener under his belt, I'm optimistic Hall of Fame will rebound in a big way in his second start of the season. Hot jockey Jose Ortiz (a 22% winner at Churchill Downs this meet) retains the mount, and stretching back out around two turns should allow Hall of Fame to set or press a slow pace.
At 6-1, I believe Hall of Fame offers the best value in the Blame. He's my choice to take home top honors.
Selections
1st: Hall of Fame
2nd: Vibe
3rd: Hit Show
Now it's your turn! Who do you like in the Blame?
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