Global Access Wins Grade 3 Marine Stakes at Woodbine

Eight-time Sovereign Award-winning jockey Patrick Husbands had full confidence in Live Oak Plantation's homebred colt Global Access heading into the Marine Stakes (G3), and the 3-year-old son of Giant's Causeway lived up to his expectations by winning the 1 1/16-mile event May 25 at Woodbine.

Hoffa's Union established the lead out of the gate and had Lyrical Note looming at his flank through fractions of :24.90, :49.69, and 1:13.45. Meanwhile, Global Access, positioned outside stalking the leaders in third, was poised to make a move on the final turn that eventually landed him in the winner's circle.

Global Access swept to the lead at the top of the lane and held clear of favored Queen's Plate-eligible Skywire, who closed steadily from behind to finish within a length of the winner. Dabo finished third, and Lyrical Note and Hoffa's Union completed the compact field of five. The final time was 1:42.83.

Global Access won the DRF Bets Sophomore Turf Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs at the end of March and was the runner-up to Skywire in last month's Wando Stakes at Woodbine. With the blinkers off for the Marine, Husbands had high expectations. "There's no 3-year-old in Canada that could beat this horse," he predicted.

Global Access was the 5-2 second choice and paid $7.50 to win.

"I just wanted to get him in the clear," said Husbands of his racing strategy from the inside post. "You're riding the best horse in the race to your ability. I feel he was the best horse in the race—don't matter he got beat last time—so I ride to my ability. The first five strides, I realized nobody wanted the lead, so I said, 'Let me just get from down here and keep him in the clear.'"

The Michael Trombetta trainee has a record of 3-1-2 from eight starts, with a bankroll approaching the $200,000 mark.

Husbands earned his third stakes win this month at Woodbine after taking the Fury with Speedy Soul and the Eclipse Stakes (G2) with Souper Tapit, who was last year's Marine champion (in rein to Florent Geroux).

The final two races on Saturday's 10-race program were canceled because of inclement weather. The $125,000 Greenwood Stakes will be rescheduled.