by Mike Curry
Thoroughbred Times

Champion Marchfield passed seven opponents in the final quarter-mile and surged clear to win the Dominion Day Handicap (Can-G3) on Wednesday at Woodbine.

The five-year-old A.P. Indy horse entered off a runner-up finish to Dominion Day foe Ice Bear in the Eclipse Stakes (Can-G3) on June 6 at Woodbine. The Eclipse Stakes was Marchfield’s first race in nearly four months. Trainer Mark Casse expected him to improve in his second start off the layoff and Marchfield delivered with a 1¾-length score under Patrick Husbands.

"When he's idle for a little while, he loses his racing edge. It doesn't matter what you do with him, you can't get it back," said Casse, who trains Marchfield for owner-breeder Melnyk Racing Stables.

Husband reserved Marchfield at the back of the eight-horse field as Ice Bear set the tempo through a half-mile in :49.22 and six furlongs in 1:14.78 in the 1¼-mile turf race. Husbands roused Marchfield at the top of the stretch and he uncoiled an explosive finishing kick from the inside to prevail in 2:03.63.

"He was very relaxed," Husbands said. "He's always a class horse from the start in any race. When he went into the first turn, nobody was going anywhere. Six furlongs out, nobody was going anywhere. Four furlongs out, nobody was going anywhere. I had a choice, go five wide or dash to the rail. When I dashed to the rail, only one horse [Approval Rating] was running and he ran him down."

Approval Rating finished second, 2 1/4 lengths clear of Grade 3 winner and 0.95-to-1 favorite Vacation.

Marchfield improved to six wins in 20 starts and boosted his earnings to $791,774. He posted three wins and two seconds in seven starts last season, including a victory in the Autumn Stakes (G2), en route to winning the Sovereign Award as champion older male.

Ontario-bred Marchfield is out of multiple Grade 3 winner Pico Teneriffe, by Red Ransom.