Martin Racing Stable's Marchman, winner of the Shakertown Stakes at Keeneland earlier this year, returns to the Lexington track for the $150,000 Woodford Presented by Keeneland Select Stakes Oct. 4.
WOODFORD STAKES DRAW
Marchman, trained by Bret Calhoun, has become a turf sprint specialist. In five starts this year in sprints on grass, the 4-year-old Sharp Humor colt won the Shakertown and Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes, finished second in the Jaipur Stakes, and finished third in Parx Dash Handicap and Colonel Power Stakes. All those races were at different tracks.
Marchman, not in the top three in only one of his eight turf starts, got a break after the Parx Dash in mid-July and has been training regularly in quick times on the dirt at Churchill Downs. Robby Albarado, who has ridden him in the last five starts, has a return call at 124 pounds from post 10 in an 11-horse field.
The Woodford is scheduled to be run at 5-1/2 furlongs on the turf and is slotted as race five on a 10-race Saturday card.
Ice Wine Stable, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith's No Nay Never, winner of the six-furlong Darley Prix Morny and five-furlong Norfolk Stakes as a 2-year-old last summer, is set to make his first start since March 1 in the Woodford for trainer Wesley Ward. Mike Smith has the ride from post 9 at 118 pounds.
No Nay Never, a 3-year-old colt by Scat Daddy, broke his maiden in his career debut at Keeneland in the spring of 2013 before his European trip. He didn't race again until the Swale Stakes earlier this year; he finished second to Spot in his first start on dirt and only race thus far this year.
No Nay Never has been working regularly at Keeneland, including two recent drills at five and six furlongs on the grass.