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Champion Channel Maker Retired; May Take Spot At Kentucky Horse Park’s Hall Of Champions

Channel Maker, the 2020 Eclipse Award-winning Champion Male Turf Horse, has officially been retired, reports the Thoroughbred Daily News. The 9-year-old gelded son of English Channel most recently finished 11th in the Grade 3 Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 13, but won the G2 Bowling Green Stakes two starts back at Saratoga.

Overall, Channel Maker won 10 of his 56 career starts for earnings of $3,915,983. He ran in the Breeders' Cup a record six times, with his best finish in 2020 when third in the Turf. Channel Maker was also the Canadian Champion 3-Year-Old in 2017, running fourth in the Queen's Plate and winning the Breeders' Stakes (third leg of Canadian Triple Crown) over the turf.

“I've never had a horse that's run at the highest level against the toughest competition from 2 through 9,” co-owner Adam Wachtel told TDN. “I love what (trainer) Bill (Mott) had to say about him after the Bowling Green; he said he's the happiest horse in the barn.”

Wachtel told TDN he hopes that Channel Maker will be able to take up residence at the Kentucky Horse Park's Hall of Champions.

For the ’Gram: 12 Must-See Spots While at Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita Park

Anyone lucky enough to visit multiple U.S. racetracks would make the observation that each one has its own unique charm. Some horse tracks are bigger than others. Some allow you to get closer to the horses, while others are designed to accommodate a range of attractions including live music, backyard picnics, fine dining, or VIP-level seating and hospitality.

Former Leading Minnesota Horse Owner Sentenced To 4 1/2 Years In Prison Over Alleged Ponzi Scheme

Jason D. Bullard, whose Empire Racing Stables was a leading owner at Minnesota's Canterbury Park from 2016-'21, has been sentenced to 4 1/2 years in prison after admitting to wire fraud in connection with an alleged Ponzi scheme federal authorities said defrauded investors out of millions of dollars.

Judge Katherine Menendez of the U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota has also ordered that Bullard “repay what he stole from his victims,” according to the Star-Tribune.

The ponzi scheme was uncovered in 2021 by the Securities and Exchange Commission, which froze the assets of Bullard Enterprises LLC, operated by Bullard and his wife, Angela Romero-Bullard. The SEC alleged at the time that the Bullards raised approximately $17.6 million – much of it from friends and relatives – and falsely stated the funds would be used to trade foreign currencies.

Instead, the SEC alleged, they used some of the money on personal expenses – including their racing stable – and distributed false statements to investors saying their investments were increasing in value. New money raised was used to pay the false “returns,” the SEC said.

The March 31 information document charging Jason Bullard said during the relevant time of the scheme – from 2014 to 2021 – he was not licensed or registered with a regulatory agency to solicit or invest funds from others.

Empire Racing Stables won 147 races from 734 starts for earnings of $2,446,965 from 2016-'21. In 2019, Empire Racing Stables tied for the leading owner title, with 32 wins from 104 starts and earnings of $471,088.

Shortly after the SEC charged Bullard Enterprises with the Ponzi scheme, the Minnesota Racing Commission summarily suspended the ownership license of Jason Bullard and control of the stable's horses was turned over to a court-ordered receiver.

Bidding Now Open For Indiana Mixed Digital Sale

The final portion of the 2023 Indiana Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association's (ITOBA) Fall Mixed Sale, the Mixed Digital Sale, went live today, Oct. 16 on HorseAuctionsUSA.com.

The Mixed Digital Sale takes place entirely online and includes a mix of 23 broodmares, weanlings, and yearlings.

The Mixed Digital Sale Sale hosted by Horse Auctions USA began at 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Oct. 16 and runs through 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Oct. 19. Bids can be placed in real-time throughout the run period or interested buyers can place “maximum bids” and let the computer do the work for them.

Lots will begin to close at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, Oct. 19. They are scheduled to close three minutes apart, starting with Lot #1. This is a soft close auction: if a bid is placed in the final two minutes, the auction's closing time will extend for two minutes until there are no new bids.

“As a regional market, we (Indiana Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association) are always looking for new and innovative ideas to attract new people to the state of Indiana. We hope people will take a few minutes to look at the offerings in our Digital Sale hosted by Horse Auctions USA on behalf of ITOBA,” Pat McGhee, ITOBA President.

The Mixed Digital Sale gives people around the world the opportunity to get involved in Indiana's lucrative Thoroughbred breeding and racing program. Twenty eight of the 38 stakes held at Horseshoe Indianapolis in 2023 are restricted to Indiana-bred and sired horses. These stakes have combined purses of more than $3.4 million. The purses for the bred and sired horses in Indiana are among the best of any regional program.

The response to the state's growing program has been tremendous. Indiana was one of just two states with an increase in mares bred in 2022 compared to the prior year. An economic impact analysis conducted by Purdue University shows that Indiana has had a 59 percent increase in horses owned, trained, and bred in the state from 2007-2020.

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