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Channel Maker, Sadler’s Joy Attempt To Turn Around Losing Streaks In Bowling Green Stakes

Grade 1-winning veterans Channel Maker and Sadler's Joy, who together have combined to earn more than $4.7 million in purses during their lengthy careers, will attempt to put the brakes on frustrating losing streaks Saturday in the Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green on the inner turf at Saratoga Race Course.

The 1 3/8-mile Bowling Green is part of a Whitney Day program featuring three Grade 1 events led by the historic Whitney at 1 1/8 miles with an automatic berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic on November 7 at Keeneland on the line. The card is bolstered by the Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign presented by NYRA Bets, a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Distaff in November; and the Grade 1, $300,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial presented by Runhappy for 3-year-olds sprinting seven furlongs.

Also on the stakes-laden card is the $200,000 Caress, a 5 ½-furlong turf sprint for older fillies and mares. The entire program will be broadcast on Saratoga Live beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern on FOX Sports and MSG Networks.

Gary Barber, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Wachtel Stable and R.A. Hill Stable's Channel Maker has gone winless in nine starts since his neck victory in the Grade 1 Man o' War in May 2019 at Belmont Park, also contested at the Bowling Green distance.

Channel Maker, a gelded 6-year-old son of turf champion English Channel, has been beaten less a length or less three times during his current drought including last year's Bowling Green, where he came up three-quarters of a length shy of defending his 2018 dead-heat victory. Most recently, the Bill Mott trainee finished fourth by a length after pressing the pace into the stretch of the 1 ¼-mile Manhattan on July 4 at Belmont.

“He's an interesting horse. He's been working out well. He ran a really tough race last time. I thought he put in a tremendous effort and was right there at the end,” co-owner Dean Reeves said. “He's just the kind of horse that we'll get a lot of racing out of. He's been fairly consistent, if he gets the right trip. He's kind of a difficult horse to handle. He gets a little bit rank and a little bit wanting to go, but he's been consistent, he's a dual Grade 1 winner and we've got a lot to look forward to.”

Overall, Channel Maker sports a record of 5-5-3 with nearly $2.2 million in purse earnings from 33 starts. Reeves bought into the chestnut following his triumph in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic in 2018.

“He just keeps kind of rocking along and then every now and then he gets a big race. We hope maybe it'll be Saturday in the Bowling Green,” Reeves said. “I don't think there's a lot of speed in it. I suspect we'll be close to the front, and he likes Saratoga. He likes this track and Belmont quite a bit, so I think we've got a good shot.”

Manny Franco, up in the Manhattan, returns to ride from post 5.

Woodslane Farm homebred Sadler's Joy earned his lone career Grade 1 victory in the 2018 Sword Dancer at Saratoga and was second by a neck in last year's edition. The 7-year-old gelding capped his 2019 campaign by winning the Grade 3 Red Smith last November at Aqueduct, but has gone winless in four tries this year.

Trained by Tom Albertrani, Sadler's Joy has run third in his last three races, each by diminishing margins. He was beaten 4 ¾ lengths in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida at Gulfstream Park in February, two lengths in the June 4 Tiller at Belmont – both at 1 3/8 miles – and three-quarters in the Manhattan.

“He came out of the Manhattan doing really well. He's been training very well and hopefully we just get a good trip,” Albertrani said. “The horse always seems to run his race. He's been narrowly beaten in several races, but he shows up. Just hopefully we get him back into the winner's circle one of these times.”

Albertrani is hoping his regular rider, Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, will be able to carve out a good trip from post 6 for the late-running Sadler's Joy, who has finished in the top three in 21 of 30 lifetime starts, seven of them wins, with more than $2.5 million in purses earned.

“He's just such a tricky horse to ride, with his style. He always loses a lot of ground on the turns and I think that's the reason he's lost some of these turf races. He just seems to go to the wire after losing a lot of ground and he's always right there. That's just the way it is,” Albertrani said.

“Nobody knows him better than Javier. He's ridden him enough times where he's gotten to really know him,” he added. “You have to time everything just right with him. He ran huge the last race he won back at Aqueduct. It was a little bit of a class break for him but he was able to make that big, wide move and draw away. He always has to get a good trip.”

Todd Pletcher, who trained Channel Cat to victory in last year's Bowling Green, will make his title defense with Team Valor International's Pillar Mountain. Bred in Ireland, the 5-year-old son of Kodiac has raced once in 2020, closing to be sixth by 3 ¼ lengths in a 1 1/8-mile optional claiming allowance on June 20 at Belmont.

Pillar Mountain won a similar spot going 1 3/8 miles last summer at Saratoga, earning him a shot in the Sword Dancer, where he finished sixth. In his only other stakes attempts, both last fall, he was seventh behind Grade 1 winner Zulu Alpha in the Grade 3 Kentucky Turf Cup at Keeneland and third in the 1 ½-mile Point Of Entry at Belmont.

“The last race was a little short of his best so I thought it was an acceptable comeback race and he should appreciate the added distance,” Pletcher said. “He's a stayer, so we look forward to getting back to a distance that suits him. He seems to be in good form and he likes the track, so we'll see if he can step it up.”

Hall of Famer John Velazquez rides Pillar Mountain from post 7.

Trainer Mike Maker entered the Three Diamonds Farm-owned pair of Cross Border and Marzo.

Cross Border, who won the Lubash against fellow New York-breds on July 22 at the Spa, is a perfect 4-0 at Saratoga, turning the triple last summer. He won a conditioned starter by three lengths last July, then took a pair of New York-bred allowance events 18 days apart in August.

Cross Border set the pace in the Manhattan two starts back before being passed late and wound up fifth, beaten a length, and was nailed at the wire in similar fashion in the Grade 3 W.L. McKnight in January at Gulfstream.

The 4-year-old Marzo won the Grade 3 Sycamore in October 2019 at Keeneland in his second start since being claimed by Maker for $62,500, and has not raced since his seventh-place finish in the Grade 2 Mervin Muniz Memorial in March at Fair Grounds.

Jose Ortiz retains the mount on Cross Border from post 2, while older brother Irad Ortiz Jr. rides Marzo from post 1.

Completing the field are Ten Strike Racing's Dot Matrix [post 4, Joel Rosario], winner of the Grade 3 John B. Connally in January at Sam Houston, and Joyce B. Young's Highland Sky [post 3, Junior Alvarado], who captured an off-the-turf edition of the John's Call last summer at Saratoga.

The Bowling Green is slated as Race 11 on Saturday's 12-race card, which offers a first post of 1:10 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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Doug Peterson’s Son Wins in MLB Debut

David Peterson, the son of Doug Peterson, who trained Seattle Slew during his 4-year-old year, had a night to remember Tuesday as he was the winning pitcher in his MLB debut.

Peterson, 24, led the Mets to an 8-3 win over the lowly Boston Red Sox.

“This is one of the greatest days of my life,” Peterson said. “This is something I’ve wanted to do since I was a little kid, and to go out there and make my first major league start, we got the win and I couldn’t have asked for much more.”

Doug Peterson, just 26 at the time, was a little known trainer when Seattle Slew’s owners called on him to take over for the fired Billy Turner. Peterson guided Slew to wins in the GI Marlboro Cup, the GI Woodward and the GIII Stuyvesant H. He was named champion older male of 1978.

Peterson’s story ended in tragedy in 2004 when he died of an accidental drug overdose. David, his only child, was nine at the time. David subsequently moved to Colorado, where he was raised by his grandmother.

Peterson, who is 6′ foot 6″, two inches taller than his father, was taken in the first round of the draft by the Mets in 2017. He was a standout pitcher at the University of Oregon.

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Impressive Debut Winner Tamiami Tops Saturday’s Florida Sire Stakes Desert Vixen

A1A Racing's homebred Tamiami, an impressive debut winner last month despite encountering a world of trouble at the start, will seek a smoother trip but a similar result in Saturday's $100,000 Desert Vixen Division of the Florida Sire Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

The Desert Vixen for fillies and $100,000 Dr. Fager, both at six furlongs, kick off the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association's annual series for 2-year-olds sired by nominated stallions standing in Florida. It continues with the $200,000 Affirmed and $200,000 Susan's Girl Aug. 29, and concludes with the $400,000 In Reality and $400,000 My Dear Girl Sept. 26.

Post time for Saturday's 11-race program is noon.

From the barn of seven-time Eclipse Award winner Todd Pletcher, Gulfstream's 14-time Championship Meet leading trainer, Tamiami carried high expectations from both her connections and the public at her June 21 unveiling, sent off as the favorite in a field of nine.

Under jockey Edgard Zayas, who returns to ride Saturday from Post 5 in a field of 10, Tamiami stumbled out of the gate and bumped with Frankly My Dear to her inside and had just one horse beat after a quarter-mile, trailing by 6 ½ lengths. She still had much to do when Zayas swung her four wide off the turn, but she came with a steady drive on the far outside to edge Frankly My Dear by a head in 1:00.71 for five furlongs.

Tamiami's sire, Rattlesnake Bridge, was also a first-out winner at Gulfstream as a 3-year-old in 2011, going on to run second in that year's Travers (G1) behind the Pletcher-trained Stay Thirsty. The filly has remained at Gulfstream since her graduation with a trio of half-mile works over the main track.

“I thought it was a gutsy first out for her. She didn't get away well and stumbled, but she closed resolutely and kept coming. She should appreciate the little bit of added distance,” Pletcher said. “I didn't give her much hope of getting up from where she started, but she's pretty determined and she's got a lot of desire. Hopefully, that'll carry over. This will be a much tougher race, but she hopefully responds.”

Also exiting an impressive debut triumph in her lone start, albeit on the turf, is Joseph Imbesi's Social Exclusion. Trained by Steve Klesaris, the bay filly became the first winner for Gulfstream track record holder Social Inclusion July 1, a race Klesaris was designed to get her to Saturday.

“We kind of had this race earmarked for her. We always thought she had the talent. She really needed to get a race into her within the time frame,” he said. “We weren't really looking for turf, but the timing came up perfect so we went ahead and ran her on the turf just to get the race into her having this race in mind.”

Social Exclusion broke running from her inside post, established the early lead and went on to a front-running 4 ¾-length win in 56.50 seconds for five furlongs. Emisael Jaramillo, aboard for the race, gets the return call from outside Post 10.

“She's always shown us ability. Certainly there was a little bit of a question mark with the turf. I did feel that she would handle it. Maybe it's not her ideal surface, but the most important thing was to give her a race and give her enough time to recover from the race and be able to train forwardly into this weekend's stake,” Klesaris said. “She's done everything correctly coming into the race. We're happy with her progress and hopefully she can take her ability to the next level. We're looking forward to it.”

Owned and trained by Daniel Pita, Princess Secret steps up into stakes company for her third start. The bay daughter of Khozan romped by four lengths, going 4 ½ furlongs in 51.94 seconds May 7 at Gulfstream, then came back to face the boys in a 5 ½-furlong optional claiming allowance July 5.

In that race, she took a hard bump at the start and found herself far back early but was able to settle in and come running on the outside to be a decisive second, 1 ½ lengths behind undefeated Papetu. Making the effort more remarkable, Pita said, was that she was able to perform well despite suffering a minor injury.

“Unfortunately she grabbed a quarter at the start of that race and bent a shoe, so it made it a little bit even more impressive that she ran so well against those horses,” Pita said. “She faced a good 3-year-old. She just wasn't able to catch them but Papetu seems like he can run, too. She had a little bit of a setback and missed a couple days of training after that race but it didn't end up being something to worry about. She healed beautifully. We got on top of it since the day of the race and she got back to form.”

Princess Secret had her lone work for the Desert Vixen July 25, going a half-mile in 48.80 seconds over Gulfstream's main track. Miguel Vasquez is named to ride back from Post 9.

“She showed very early in her training that she was going to be a talented filly. She's the type of horse that basically does everything right. Nothing really bothers her. She'll do whatever you ask her to, and that makes training a 2-year-old a lot easier than having one with the immaturity and things that are attached to training 2-year-olds,” Pita said. “She's very mature, she does everything the right way and she's extremely smart. It's a matter of getting her fit and letting her loose.”

Oh Deborah will make the quick 13-day turnaround for the Desert Vixen off a 3 ¼-length maiden claiming score July 19 at Gulfstream for trainer Ralph Nicks. She is one of two Stonehedge homebreds entered, along with Michael Yates-trained Go Jo Jo Go, who has one third from three starts.

“I thought she would run well,” Nicks said of Oh Deborah's debut. “It looks like a bit more ground will be good for her. She was striding out and finishing up well.”

Arindel will also be represented by a pair of homebreds, Lyrical and Freak. Fifth in her maiden special weight debut May 5 behind Princess Secret, Lyrical exits an 8 ¾-length maiden claiming romp June 26, both at Gulfstream. In her only start, Freak was third after having to steady late in a six-furlong maiden special weight July 11.

Most experienced in the field with four starts is Rolling Meadows Farm's Sophisticurl. The Ride On Curlin filly upset Frankly My Dear by a head after dueling throughout in a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight July 15. Tundra Racing Stable's Frankly My Dear, by Jess's Dream, seeks her first career win following a pair of seconds.

Steve Dwoskin-trained Alluramore is entered to make her race debut in the Desert Vixen. The daughter of Gone Astray shows six works since June 20 at Gulfstream, including a five-furlong move from the gate in 1:00.50 July 25.

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Trainer Ralph Nicks Doubles Up In For Florida Sires Stakes Dr. Fager

Trainer Ralph Nicks has become a major Florida Sire Stakes player in recent years, saddling the winners of six races since 2016 in the tradition-rich series for 2-year-olds sired by accredited stallions standing in Florida.

Nicks, who has been based year-round in Florida since Gulfstream Park instituted a Spring/Summer Meet in 2013, will seek to continue his Florida Sire Stakes success in the $100,000 Dr. Fager, which will co-headline Saturday's Florida Sire Stakes program with the $100,000 Desert Vixen for fillies. Both stakes will be contested at six furlongs.

Nicks' two entries in the Dr. Fager – Stonehedge LLC's Breeze On By and Jacks or Better Farm's Little Demon – aren't likely to be regarded lightly in the first leg of the series. Not only will they be saddled by a trainer who has demonstrated a deft hand with juveniles, but they will also represent the two most successful owners in the history of the series that was inaugurated in 1982.

Gil Campbell and his Stonehedge Farm have amassed 12 Florida Sire Stakes victories, including a series sweep by Scandalous Act (2013). Fred Brei's Jacks or Better Farm has won a record 19 races in the lucrative series, including series sweeps by half-brothers Jackson Bend (2009) and Fort Loudon (2011), as well as Awesome Feather (2010), who went on to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and an Eclipse Award.

Nicks has already visited the Florida Sire Stakes winner's circle with Stonehedge LLC's Lucky Charm (2019 Affirmed) and Jacks or Better Farm's Garter and Tie (2018 Affirmed) among his six FSS successes.

“They both have good programs and they're both great to work for,” Nicks said. “We're on the same page.”

Stonehedge LLC's Breeze On By made a rather auspicious debut while capturing a July 12 maiden special weight race at Gulfstream by six lengths. The homebred son of Cajun Breeze ran the six-furlong distance in 1:11.82.

“It was a very impressive race. I'm not crazy about the three weeks wheel-back,” said Nicks, who would have had as many as three Dr. Fager entrants had Stonehedge LLC's sharp debut winner Big Daddy Dave not come down with a fever. “But with the one sick, and the one doing well, you better lead him over there.”

Jacks or Better Farm's Little Demon will enter Florida Sire Stakes action as a maiden but showed promise while finishing second in his June 20 debut, in which he chased loose-on-the-lead Papetu and finished 2 ¾ lengths clear of the third-place finisher. Papetu went on to capture the first allowance for 2-year-olds this year at Gulfstream and is being pointed to the Aug. 7 Saratoga Special (G2).

“He came out of a good race. He ran well and is training well,” said Nicks, who saddled Raroma Stable's Phantom Ro for a victory in the 2017 Dr. Fager. “Hopefully, he'll move forward.”

Before going on his own, Nicks was involved in the training of two-time Horse of the Year Cigar and many other veteran stakes stars as an assistant to Hall of Fame Bill Mott, but he has rapidly built a reputation for developing promising juveniles.

“It's always fun to see them come up and see them mature and develop. We got some earlier this year than in the past, but it's funny how some of them are just coming around and doing well,” Nicks said. “Two-year-olds – everybody shoots for them. If you don't have 2-year-olds, you don't have a future.”

Emisael Jaramillo has the return mount aboard Breeze On By, while Samy Camacho is scheduled to ride Little Demon for the first time Saturday.

Seven-time Eclipse Award winner Todd Pletcher, who has captured 16 Championship Meet titles at Gulfstream, appears to have a solid shot at winning his first Florida Sire Stakes while basing a stable division at Gulfstream during his first Sprint/Summer Meet for the first time.

J A G Racing and Jettany Thoroughbred Corp.'s Son of a Beast, a gutsy debut winner at Gulfstream, is scheduled to return for Pletcher in the Dr. Fager. The son of The Big Beast set a pressured pace throughout a five-furlong maiden special weight race June 24 and continued on gamely to prevail by three-quarters of a length.

“I thought he was impressive in his debut. I'm looking forward to running him,” said Pletcher, who will also be represented by debut winner Tamiami in the Desert Vixen. “He's always trained well. We expected him to come out running first time, so we sort of had this race in mind for a while.”

Edgard Zayas has the return call on Son of a Beast.

Arindel's Gatsby, an impressive debut winner April 17, will be looking to rebound from an off-the-board finish in the June 27 Bashford Manor (G3) at Churchill Downs. The homebred son of Brethren pulled off an upset victory over heavily favored Golden Pal in his debut at 4 ½ furlongs, chasing the Wesley Ward-trained odds-on favorite into the stretch before edging clear by three-quarters of a length. Golden Pal went on to finish second in the Norfolk (G2) at Royal Ascot.

Hector Berrios is slated to ride the Juan Alvarado-trained Gatsby for the first time Saturday.

Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. will seek his 13th Florida Sire Stakes success with Famous Gent, a son of First Dude owned and bred by his wife, Laurie, and Trilogy Stable.

Famous Gent rallied from off the pace to graduate in his second start June 5 while running five furlongs in 58.87 seconds. He lost all chance at the start of a subsequent allowance after encountering heavy bumping but closed to finish third behind highly regarded Papetu.

Cristian Torres has the return mount.

Kenneth Fishbein's Boca Boy enters the Dr. Fager off an impressive 7 ½-length win in his July 17 debut at Gulfstream. The son of Prospective led throughout the 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight race under Angel Arroyo, who has the return call on the Cheryl Winebaugh trainee.

Edward Schuster's Valiant Thor, a homebred son of Two Step Salsa, is slated to make his first start at Gulfstream Saturday after scoring a front-running 8 ½-length victory in his July 1 debut at Tampa Bay Downs. Ronnie Allen Jr. is named to ride by Dennis Ward-trained juvenile.

Trainer Michael Maker will be represented by two juveniles in the Dr. Fager – Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher's Casalsa, a son of Two Step Salsa who was claimed for $50,000 out of a front-running victory June 27 in his second start, and Three Diamonds Farm's Lost Lover, a son of Gone Astray who is slated to make his debut Saturday.

Magic Stables LLC's Paladio and Oakleaf Farm's Mr. Tingles, who both graduated in the claiming ranks, and All Together Stable's Social Equality, an unraced maiden, round out the field.

The Dr. Fager the Desert Vixen will be followed by the $200,000 Affirmed and the $200,000 Susan's Girl for fillies, both slated for seven furlongs Aug. 29, and the $400,000 In Reality and the $400,000 My Dear Girl for fillies, both to be run around two turns at 1 1/16 miles Sept. 26.

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