Marquee Miss handles stretch out to mile in Martha Washington

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Marquee Miss took down her second stakes race of the young Oaklawn season on Saturday, when she dug in for a half-length win over Nickname in the $100,000 Martha Washington. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back in third to Dorodansa.

Marquee Miss started the meet with a win in the $100,000 Dixie Belle at six furlongs on the opening day card Jan. 15. She moved to two turns for the Martha Washington, which ended at the sixteenth pole, and was content to track Durango, who took the field through an opening quarter in 23.64 seconds, the first half-mile in 47.12, and six furlongs in 1:12.19.

Marquee Miss ($26.20) advanced on the turn, and moved to the leaders outside into the stretch as Nickname darted to the rail. The pair battled to the late stages, with Marquee Miss covering the mile on a fast track in 1:39.18.

“Obviously, it's not ideal having a Grade 1 winner coming up the fence on you,” said winning rider Channing Hill. “My filly's just a little more game when she gets competitive - head and head. She was all heart today.”

Corey Nakatani, who ride Nickname in what was her first start since finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, was equally pleased from his mount, who won last year’s Frizette.

“My filly ran exceptional for her first start of the year,” Nakatani said. “She ran a dynamite race. The other horse had just a little bit more today. She’ll be looking forward to the next race. She’s a really nice filly that didn’t get the win today, but ran a great race.”

Marquee Miss has now registered all three of her career wins in stakes. She won her maiden in the Arlington Lassie prior to the Dixie Belle. Ingrid Mason trains Marquee Miss for Rags Racing Stable LLC. Marquee Miss is a daughter of Cowboy Cal and she was bred in Kentucky by David Jacobs.

Attendance ontrack at Oaklawn was 12,750 while handle on the nine-race card from all sources was $4,051,966.