Stakes Wins for Occasional View, Marchman
Earlier on Saturday’s 12-race Blue Grass Stakes program at Keeneland, Robert Trussell’s Occasional View and Martin Racing Stable’s Marchman earned Grade 3 victories with triumphs in the $175,000 Commonwealth and $100,000 Shakertown, respectively.
In the Commonwealth, Occasional View collared the pace-setting Dimension (GB) inside the sixteenth pole and drew off to win by a length under Alan Garcia for trainer Ken McPeek. It was the first win in the race for both Garcia and McPeek.
Occasional View, who covered the seven furlongs in 1:22.77 over the main track, is a 6-year-old, Canadian-bred son of Silver Deputy out of the Rahy mare Celebrate. The victory was worth $105,000 and improved Occasional View’s earnings to $339,765 with a record of 20-6-1-4.
Occasional View returned $11, $5.60 and $3.20. Dimension, ridden by James Graham, returned $8 and $5 and finished 1¾ lengths in front of favored Laugh Track, who paid $2.80 to show under Jose Lezcano.
Quiet Force finished fourth and was followed in order by Undrafted, Longhunter (GB), Piquant, Big Blue Spirit (GB), Gunderson and Spring to the Sky.
In the Shakertown, Robby Albarado sent Marchman to the front at the break and barely held off the late charge of Positive Side to win by a neck. Marchman covered the 5½ furlongs on a firm turf course in 1:02.36.
It was the second victory in the race for Albarado, who won in 2002 on Morluc, and also for trainer Bret Calhoun, who saddled 2008 winner Mr. Nightlinger.
Marchman is a 4-year-old, Kentucky-bred son of Sharp Humor out of the Indian Charlie mare Sookie Sookie. The $60,000 winner’s share boosted Marchman’s earnings to $225,628 with a record of 12-4-2-3.
Marchman returned $49.60, $22.40 and $14.40. Positive Side, ridden by Leandro Goncalves, returned $28.20 and $13.40 with Something Extra, ridden by Jose Lezcano, finishing another three-quarters of a length back and paying $5.80 to show.
Hogy finished fourth and was followed in order by Go Blue Or Go Home, Gantry, defending champion Havelock, Shrinking Violet and No Silent in a dead-heat for eighth, Channel Marker, Animal Style and Ancil.