Charlie's to Blame the likely pacesetter in turf route
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Charlie’s to Blame led throughout the $150,000 Kitten’s Joy Stakes at Gulfstream Park in February 2025. The same tactics will be employed when the 4-year-old colt starts in a tough allowance race at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Del Mar on Friday.
“He likes it out there in front,” trainer Peter Eurton said on Thursday. “That’s the plan. There is no taking a hold of him.”
A winner of 2 of 10 starts, Charlie’s to Blame is part of a field of 11 that includes the graded stakes winner Watsonville; the stakes winners Game Winner, Scipio, Tempus Volat, and War at Sea; Detain, who was third in the Group 1 French Derby in June 2025; and Irish Prophet and Maaz, who have placed in stakes.
Detain, trained by Michael McCarthy, will be favored. A 4-year-old owned by Juddmonte Farms, Detain was third in his American debut in an allowance at a mile on turf at Santa Anita on June 7 behind Iron Man Cal and Charlie’s to Blame. Detain closed from sixth of 11 after a wide trip to lose by 1 3/4 lengths.
“I think last time he needed the race,” jockey Juan Hernandez said. “I worked him a couple of times before his race and he was working good. I know he’ll run a little better than that.”
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Last year, Detain was third by three-quarters of a length behind Camille Pissarro in the French Derby at 1 5/16 miles at Chantilly Racecourse, closing from fourth in a field of 18. Detain was trained at the time by John and Thady Gosden.
Charlie’s to Blame was beaten a half-length by Iron Man Cal on June 7. He set the pace, led by a half-length with a furlong remaining, and lost his advantage in the final strides.
“It was nice to see him back in good form,” Eurton said.
In his two previous starts, both at Santa Anita, Charlie’s to Blame was not as competitive. He was last of nine in an allowance at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course on April 3 before finishing sixth by 1 1/4 lengths in a 1 1/8-mile allowance on turf on May 8.
Charlie’s to Blame did not set the pace in those races.
“In the sprint, he didn’t get a lot out of it,” Eurton said. “In the mile and an eighth [race], we took too much hold of him.”
Charlie’s to Blame, who races for a partnership that includes BG Stables and Roadrunner Racing, drew post 7 in Friday’s race and will be ridden by Armando Ayuso, who had the mount on June 7. Charlie’s to Blame is likely to lead into the stretch with a solid group of runners in pursuit.
“We like the whole chasing thing,” Eurton said. “We’ll let him run out of there.”