Scatman edges Jasizzle in Aristides

Scatman wore down Jasizzle to record his first stakes

victory Saturday, posting a neck decision in the Grade 3, $106,800

Aristides

at Churchill Downs. Shaun Bridgmohan had the mount for Hall of Fame trainer Bill

Mott.

Scatman runs under the JEOG Racing silks of owner/breeders Jim and Ellen

O'Grady, who were rewarded with their first stakes win.

"It's very exciting, especially to happen here at Churchill," Jim O'Grady

said.

Named in honor of the first Kentucky Derby winner, the six-furlong event was

held on a sloppy track. Rothko, the 2012 Aristides winner, showed speed from his

rail post and established splits in :22 and :45 1/5 while being pressured by

Jasizzle. Scatman raced a couple of paths off the rail, positioned just

behind the early leaders, and began to advance after being guided four wide approaching the

conclusion of the far turn.

Jasizzle shrugged off Rothko in midstretch but could not withstand Scatman,

who prevailed in the final strides. Off as the 7-2 fourth choice among five

rivals, the four-year-old paid $9, $4.20 and $2.80 and stopped the teletimer in

1:10 2/5.

"I had a pretty good trip and things set up," said Bridgmohan, leading rider

of the spring meet. "I was able to get him in the clear and he came running."

"I was a little worried around the turn," said Kenny McCarthy, Mott's veteran

assistant who oversees the conditioner's Churchill Downs stable. "I could see he

was going quite well, but he just needed a little bit of room. He kicked it in

well."

Jasizzle crossed the wire 2 1/4 lengths better than 8-5 favorite Rothko. It was

another three lengths back to Good Lord in fourth and longshot St. Maximus Gato

rounded out the order of finish.

Scatman snapped a five-race losing skein. Unplaced in his last five stakes

attempts, the bay colt finished third in his most recent start, a May 1 optional

claiming event at Churchill Downs. His best previous efforts came early in 2012

when he recorded a close second in his stakes debut, the Grade 3 Southwest, and

followed it with a respectable third in the Grade 2 Rebel.

From the first crop of sire Scat Daddy, the Kentucky-bred Scatman became the

first stakes winner produced by the Grand Slam mare Hit It Here Cafe. This is

the immediate female family of English Group 2 winner Strawberrydaiquiri and

Grade 1 runner-up Shooting Party.

With the $66,216 payday, Scatman has now earned $314,939 from a 16-5-2-3

career line.

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com