Melynk Racing Stables’ Marchfield lived up to his 4-5 favoritism by running down pacesetter Brilliant Bid to win Friday’s $53,800 allowance feature for three-year-olds and up by 1 ¼ lengths at Churchill Downs.
Ridden by Robby Albarado and trained by Mark Casse, Marchfield rated in third place in the field of six in the run down the backside as Brilliant Bid opened a daylight margin. Brilliant Bid, under John McKee, repelled a bid from Xela on the far turn but could not hold off Marchfield in the final 100 yards.
A four-year-old Canadian-bred son of A.P. Indy out of the Red Ransom mare Pico Teneriffe, Marchfield covered the mile and a sixteenth on “good” turf in 1:45.55.
The victory was worth $26,660 and increased his career earnings to $461,989 with three victories in 11 starts. Marchfield won last year’s $500,000 Breeders’ Stakes at Woodbine, the third jewel of Canada’s Triple Crown, and Friday’s win was his first in two starts since that victory.
Marchfield rewarded his backers with payoffs of $3.80, $2.60 and $2.20. Brilliant Bid returned $8.80 and $4.40, while Xela, another 1 ¼ lengths back in third under Miguel Mena, paid $3.20 to show.