Marr Time brings strong pedigree to allowance
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HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The spirit of the late exceptional broodmare Leslie’s Lady will be all around Oaklawn Park on Friday, when her 3-year-old daughter Marr Time runs in the featured eighth race.
Leslie’s Lady, who died late last month at the age of 26, is the dam of champion Beholder, top-class stallion Into Mischief, and Breeders’ Cup winner Mendelssohn.
As such, Marr Time is a half-sister to those horses, making her arguably the best-bred runner stabled at Oaklawn. She’s part of a field of seven for the first-level allowance for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs. The horse to beat is Icy Stare Down, and the probable second choice is Benedict Canyon.
Clarkland Farm in Kentucky bred and owns Marr Time.
“It’s a family name,” said Marty Buckner of Clarkland. “She’s by Not This Time, and my grandfather was named John Marr. He was locally known for not changing his clocks when they did daylight savings time, so he stayed on Central Standard Time. He never changed his clocks. There are a few people still alive who still remember that anybody who had dealings with John Marr, they went on Marr Time.”
Marr Time, the filly, last raced Dec. 19 at Oaklawn, where her dam made three starts in 1999. Marr Time was favored at this level, but had trouble at the start, contested the pace, and finished eighth. Prior to that race, she won her career debut at Keeneland. Marr Time led throughout for a 2 3/4-length win in a maiden special weight over six furlongs Oct. 28.
“That was a really, really good day,” Buckner said. “The whole family was there. If she doesn’t do any more, that’s fine.”
Clarkland, which is a leading consignor, kept Marr Time and a 2-year-old filly out of Leslie’s Lady who is now in training in Florida.
“It was getting to the end, and we didn’t have any daughters,” Buckner said.
Leslie’s Lady was the pride of Clarkland Farm, which bought the stakes-winning mare in 2006.
“It was just a real honor to take care of her,” Buckner said. “We miss her. She went out real easy and she went out on her own. Her last day was a good one. She just passed naturally, without pain and without struggle.”
Buckner said Leslie’s Lady was a good mother.
“She threw those great genes, and her foals never got hurt or injured,” she said. “She always knew how to keep them out of trouble. She took good care of them, was a good mother, always knew what to do, where to place them.
“She was kind, easy to work with, and she loved peppermints. At the end, she had lot of people come see her from all over the world, and she loved having peppermints and loved having her picture taken.”
Marr Time will break from post 5 under Ramon Vazquez.
“She looks a lot like Leslie’s Lady,” Buckner said. “She has a lot of her physical features. Marr Time is really, really pretty, and there’s a lot of substance to her, a great hind end, great hind leg. Leslie’s Lady was beautiful. Marr Time has a lot of her markings.”
Icy Stare Down won a maiden special weight sprint on Dec. 18 at Oaklawn with a Beyer Speed Figure of 80. Benedict Canyon ran fifth in the Grade 1 Starlet in December at Los Alamitos Race Course.