Mr Ritz ($22.80) surprises in Caesars Stakes

The Woodbine-based trainer Josie Carroll had started one horse in the state of Indiana, and the Arlington-based jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. had ridden one horse during his long career for Carroll, but Carroll, Valdivia, and an English import named Mr Ritz came together to win the $200,000 Caesars Stakes on Wednesday at Indiana Grand.

Valdivia, the runaway leading rider at Arlington, settled a keen Mr Ritz just behind the slow pace set by Factor This, and race shape played a key role in the Caesars, a one-mile turf race formerly known as the Centaur. Factor This went his first quarter-mile in a glacial 25.26 seconds and got a half in a tepid 49.18. From there, the sprint to the finish was on, and Mr Ritz had a much better kick than Factor This. He and Valdivia collared the pacesetter in upper stretch and pulled away late to win by 2 3/4 lengths as Untamed Domain, who had no chance to catch the winner while coming from well off the pace, was up for second by a neck over Factor This.

Mr Ritz ($22.80) ran a mile on turf rated good in 1:36.20, getting his final half-mile in less than 47 seconds.

“I was loaded from the get-go,” said Valdivia. “He got a little keen going into the first turn, but he settled beautifully from there.”

Carroll trains Mr Ritz for owner-breeder Earle Mack, who started the Great Britain-bred colt in England last year with trainer Jeremy Noseda but sent him to Carroll early in 2018. Mr Ritz, a son of Oasis Dream and the Contested Bid mare, Que Puntual, was making his stakes debut Wednesday. A distant seventh at Woodbine in his North American debut, Mr Ritz subsequently was fitted with blinkers, which, if they did not spur the improvement, at least coincided with a leap forward in form.

Carroll’s lone previous starter in Indiana was Brushed Halory, who won the $204,000 Indiana Oaks at Hoosier Park in 1999. Perhaps she should consider more frequent trips to the state – and think about including Valdivia.

Beyond Blame faultless in Indiana Grand Stakes

Fading pacesetter Molecules kindly got out of the way just past the three-furlong pole in the $200,000 Indiana Grand Stakes on Wednesday. “Go ahead,” she might as well have said to odds-on favorite Beyond Blame, who had tracked the pace from the inside and took over when Molecules ceded the lead. Beyond Blame got a brief midstretch challenge from 45-1 shot High Tech but shrugged that off and went on to a 2 1/4-length victory.

“She put me in the right spot right off the bat,” said winning jockey Florent Geroux.

Off solid splits of 23.53 seconds, 47.15, and 1:11.24, Beyond Blame ran one mile on a good course in 1:35.69, paying $3.60 to win. She was the only one of the shorter-priced horses to fire in the Indiana Grand as 14-1 shot Beach Waltz was third and 32-1 Drinks On Me fourth. Sirenusa, the 3-1 second choice, broke from a wide post and finished sixth.

Brad Cox trains Beyond Blame for her breeders, Shirley and P.L. Blake’s Pop-A-Top LLC. Beyond Blame is a daughter of the surging sire Blame and out of the Forest Wildcat mare, Quippery.

Beyond Blame, assistant trainer Ricky Giannini said, could make one more start this fall but already has put together a long and successful campaign. The filly debuted Jan. 8 this year, has won half her eight starts, and added the Indiana Grand to a tally in the Grade 3 Regret at Churchill.