Cohen thinks outside draw will help Marvin relax

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Jockey David Cohen believes the post Marvin drew for Sunday’s eighth race will suit the promising 3-year-old. He will start from the outside stall in the 11-horse field.

The six-furlong allowance carries an optional claiming price of $80,000. It has drawn a number of quality runners, led by Grade 1 winner Nucky, who had been cross-entered in the $90,000 Gazebo Stakes here Saturday. The field also includes Tumbling Sky, a debut winner at Saratoga, and Liam’s Pride, a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Morning Line who is coming off a maiden win for trainer Doug O’Neill.

Marvin – who also was cross-entered in the Gazebo – enters Sunday’s race off a second-place finish in an optional $75,000 claiming race at a mile Feb. 29 at Oaklawn. He was beaten a nose after setting the pace under Cohen.

“He’s a speed horse that doesn’t have much of any relaxing to him,” Cohen said. “If you watch his last race, he was real tough the whole way. I think if he relaxed going long, he would have been able to get the distance. It really surprised me, with how much energy he used that first half-mile, five-eighths, that when he got tested, he was able to dig in and fight it out down the lane. He showed ability and heart.”

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Cohen believes the outside draw will be a plus for Marvin.

“Being outside, the position will help him relax,” Cohen said. “For him, it’s the ideal post position. I’m happy.”

Mac Robertson trains Marvin, a son of Cross Traffic who owns the field’s best last-race Beyer Speed Figure, an 84. Marvin last sprinted on Feb. 2, finishing third by a neck to Little Menace, who was to run back as one of the top choices in the Gazebo.

Marvin races for Jack Dickerson and Zack Ames. He is a half-brother to Yougotthatgoinforu, a 13-time winner who placed in five stakes races and earned more than $460,000.

Tumbling Sky is making his first start since winning a maiden special weight on Aug. 10 at Saratoga. He won by 1 1/4 lengths, earning a Beyer Figure of 79. Tumbling Sky has been flattered since, as three horses he defeated came back in their next starts to win maiden special weight races in New York. The trio includes Ajaaweed, who went on to run second in the Remsen.

Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount on Tumbling Sky, who is a son of Competitive Edge. The horse races for Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt and is trained by Steve Asmussen.