Fifteen years after BLAME scored in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) under the twin spires to conclude his career, the stallion will be represented by a Kentucky Derby (G1) runner when Render Judgment loads into the gate on Saturday.
It won’t be the first time Render Judgment races at Churchill Downs, with the colt breaking his maiden at the track in October. That race saw him beat fellow Kentucky Derby runner American Promise, who was the only one to finish ahead of the BLAME son in the Virginia Derby in March.
It was the second stakes placing for Render Judgement, who also finished third in last December’s Listed Gun Runner Stakes.
Owned by Baccari Racing Stable, Dream Walkin Farms, MJM Racing, Rocket Ship Racing, and Magdalena Racing, the Kenny McPeek trainee sold for $310,000 from Gainesway to his racing owners as a yearling.
One of the final horses purchased by Dream Walkin Farm’s late owner and country music singer Toby Keith, Render Judgment will have even those outside of racing cheering him on Saturday.
Keith always dreamed of having a runner in the Kentucky Derby, noting in 2019 that it was the race he most wanted to run a horse in. For the ownership group and McPeek, being able to fulfil that dream for Keith makes this race even more special.
“I was always excited to have horses for Toby,” McPeek told the Oklahoman. “I would love more than anything in the world for him and his family and his legacy to be enhanced by a good run in this race.”
McPeek thinks the Derby distance shouldn’t be a hinderance for the BLAME runner, who will be covering the same 1 ¼ mile distance BLAME won at in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
“We’re taking a horse over there that’s doing extremely well physically and we’re gonna let him make his run. His only career victory was here at Churchill. I do think he’s gonna like a mile and a quarter. The further the better,” he said.
Render Judgment will break from post position 15 in the Kentucky Derby with the race scheduled to run at 6:57p.m. ET on Saturday.