Major races: Breeders' Cup Classic, Stephen Foster Handicap, Whitney Handicap

Awards: 2010 Eclipse Award for Champion Older Male

Post Career: After retiring from racing, Blame stood at stud at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. He has sired numerous stakes winners and has become a successful breeding stallion. Some of his notable offspring include Marley’s Freedom and Nadal.

May 2 - Blame

This guy will always be the bad guy to some people. He's the only horse to beat the queen, Zenyatta. In her final race, an attempt to repeat as back-to-back winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic, in one of the greatest stretch duels in BC history, Blame won the Classic under the twin spires of Churchill Downs and ended Zenyatta's 18 race undefeated win streak.

The following January, I painted at the Eclipse Awards at Gulfstream Park in Miami. I had two paintings: one of Blame and one of Zenyatta. He had just beaten her, so it seemed fair to think that he might take the Horse of the Year title as well. Zenyatta won the popularity contest with the writers and took home the Horse of the Year honors, while Blame had to settle with the Eclipse Award for Older Males.

I had a feeling that if I painted Blame beating Zenyatta at the Eclipse Awards that I'd have to fight my way out of Gulfstream so the painting of Blame is him beating another superstar - Quality Road.