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Channel Cat Primed To Take On Saratoga’s Bowling Green

Calumet Farm homebred Channel Cat and his trainer, Jack Sisterson, are no strangers to springing upsets in graded stakes. The duo will look to add another exclamation mark to their collective ledgers in Saturday's Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green, an 11-furlong inner-turf test for older horses, at Saratoga Race Course.

Channel Cat, who is one of three sons of English Channel entered for Saturday's 63rd renewal, captured the 2019 Bowling Green at odds of 13-1 for former conditioner Todd Pletcher. The 6-year-old chestnut, who was transferred to Sisterson's care last year, won a dramatic renewal of the Grade 1 Man o' War in May at Belmont Park at 8-1 by a nose over Gufo, who was a neck better than Bowling Green-rival Moon Over Miami.

The Man o' War score completed a personal trifecta of Grade 1-wins at all three NYRA tracks for Sisterson following Vexatious' [9-1] score in the Personal Ensign last year at Saratoga and True Timber's [7-1] Cigar Mile victory in December at Aqueduct Racetrack

John Velazquez, who has also enjoyed surprise success in the Bowling Green, is tied with fellow Hall of Fame riders Javier Castellano, Jerry Bailey, and Jorge Velasquez for most Bowling Green wins with three. He will look to secure the standalone record victory from the inside post after scores with Turk Passer [1994, 31-1], Cetewayo [1998, 9-1], and Air Support [2012, 7-5].

Channel Cat has posted a trio of recent works at Saratoga, including a half-mile effort in 48.66 seconds Saturday on the Oklahoma training turf.

“He couldn't be doing any better,” Sisterson said. “He's done all his works within himself. On Saturday, John Velazquez worked him and was very happy with him. The key to Channel Cat is keeping him happy and he seems to be going into the race in great shape and happy form. We look forward to a fun summer with him.”

Channel Cat, who has competed over good turf in his last three outings, ran second in the 12-furlong Grade 2 Elkhorn at Keeneland in April ahead of his Man o' War score.

Last out, in the 10-furlong Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan on June 5 at Belmont, Channel Cat pressed the pace and faded to seventh in a race won by Domestic Spending. The second and third-place finishers exited that event to win stakes, including a Grade 1 United Nations coup for the Chad Brown-trained Tribhuvan and a Grand Couturier-score for the Christophe Clement-conditioned Gufo.

“I ran him back in three weeks after the Elkhorn because he was doing so well. I probably should have skipped the Manhattan because he had a tough race in the Man o' War, but we gave him a little break now prior to the Bowling Green,” Sisterson said. “It was good to see Chad Brown's horse come back and win the United Nations so the form held up well.”

Bill Mott, who is tied with fellow Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher for most Bowling Green victories with four, will saddle a trio of contenders, including the reigning Champion Turf Male Channel Maker, graded-stakes winner Red Knight and multiple graded-stakes placed Moon Over Miami.

Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, R. A. Hill Stable and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Channel Maker, a 7-year-old Ontario-bred son of English Channel, boasts a record of 39-7-6-5 with purse earnings in excess of $3.2 million.

The prominent chestnut, last seen finishing eighth in the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan in March, will make his fourth-consecutive Bowling Green appearance, including a dead-heat win in 2018, a fourth in 2019 and a third a year ago.

Channel Maker captured the 12-furlong Grade 1 Sword Dancer here last summer over soft going ahead of a similar front-running score in the Grade 1 Turf Classic Invitational in October over firm Belmont turf. Manny Franco, aboard for both of those victories, returns to the irons from post 5.

Trinity Farm homebred Red Knight, a 7-year-old New York-bred son of Pure Prize, made the grade in October in the Grade 3 Sycamore at Keeneland. The consistent chestnut sports a ledger of 25-8-8-1 and will look for his first win of the season, adding blinkers from post 6 under Tyler Gaffalione.

Summer Wind Equine's Moon Over Miami, a 4-year-old Malibu Moon colt, captured the 1 5/16-mile Dueling Grounds Derby in September at Kentucky Downs to secure his only stakes win. He has made all three starts this year in graded company, finishing third in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida in February and second in the Grade 2 Pan American, both at Gulfstream, ahead of his last-out third in the Grade 1 Man o' War.

Junior Alvarado retains the mount from post 7.

Pletcher will saddle Donegal Racing's Shamrocket, a 4-year-old Tonalist bay in search of his first graded win. The normally late-running colt, who finished fourth in the Grade 1 Man o' War in May, utilized a more prominent approach last out when third in the Grand Couturier.

Irad Ortiz, Jr. has the call from post 8.

Three Diamonds Farm's Cross Border, a 7-year-old New York-bred son of English Channel, was elevated to victory in last year's Bowling Green following the disqualification of Sadler's Joy.

Trained by Mike Maker, Cross Border has thrived on the Saratoga turf with five wins and one second from six starts. Last year's efforts at Saratoga included a win in the Lubash and a runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer. In 2019, Cross Border went 3-for-3 in a perfect Spa summer campaign.

Bred in the Empire State by Berkshire Stud and B.D. Gibbs, Cross Border will exit post 2 under Luis Saez in search of his first win this year.

Brown, a four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer, combined previously with Hall of Fame rider Castellano to capture the Bowling Green with Hyper [2013] and Flintshire [2016].

On Saturday, Castellano will pilot Three Chimneys Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Siena Farm and Jeff Drown's Breakpoint, a multiple Group 1-winner in his native Chile, from post 3.

The 4-year-old Constitution colt broke slow en route to a fourth-place finish last out in his North American debut in a nine-furlong optional-claiming event on June 27 on the Belmont turf.

Brown will also saddle Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Wonder Stables, Michael Kisber and Michael J. Caruso's multiple Grade 1-placed Rockemperor [post 4, Joel Rosario], who enters from a sharp optional-claiming win traveling 10-furlongs on June 26 over firm Belmont turf.

The 5-year-old Irish-bred son of Holy Roman Emperor finished third in the 2019 Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational and second in last year's Grade 1 Manhattan at Belmont.

The Bowling Green is slated as Race 10 on Saturday's 11-race card, which also includes the Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt in Race 8 and the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy in Race 9. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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Stakes Triple Threat Highlights Saturday’s Action At Woodbine

A pair of $125,000 main added-money events for 2-year-olds, the My Dear and Victoria, along with the $100,000 turf Alywow Stakes, highlight Saturday afternoon's card of racing at Woodbine.

Eight rookie fillies will take to the Toronto oval Tapeta in the My Dear, a 5 ½-furlong sprint carded as race seven.

Entrants include Diabolic, a grey daughter of Dark Angel, who won her debut at Gulfstream in May. The Irish-bred filly is owned by D.J. Stable LLC and Nexus Racing Club, and trained by Mark Casse. The Hall of Fame conditioner also sends out Lois Len, an Ontario-bred daughter of Hunter's Bay. Royal Engagement, also a first-time winner, will make her stakes debut for trainer Timothy Hamm, and owner Perry Harrison. Bid Once, a daughter of California Chrome, will look to build off a strong maiden-breaking score in her debut on June 19.

One race later, eight other first-year rivals square off on the Woodbine main in the 5 ½-furlong Victoria.

Concealed Carry, trained and owned by Barb Minshall, looks to make it two consecutive trips to the winner's circle after taking his debut on June 20. The son of Competitive Edge was bred by Terrazas Thoroughbreds LLC. Mowins will make the trek from Indiana Grand to contest his first added-money event. Sporting a record of 1-1-0 from two starts, the son of Mohaymen won his most recent start on June 15. One Timer, trained by Larry Rivelli, arrives at the Victoria off a sizzling curtain-raising effort at Arlington, winning the 5-furlong main track race by 12 ½-lengths. Richard Ravin and Patricia's Hope LLC own the Kentucky-bred son of Trappe Shot.

The Alywow, named in honor of the Kinghaven great, who was named Canada's Horse of the Year in 1994, kicks off the added-money action in race three.

Six 3-year-old filly hopefuls will line up in the gate for the 6 ½-furlong trek over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

Lady War Machine, trained by Canadian Hall of Fame inductee Josie Carroll, heads into the Alywow off a sharp maiden-breaking performance on July 3. The daughter of Street Boss is owned by Mark Dodson. Star Shoot Stakes champ Can't Buy Love will make her second straight start at Woodbine. Trained by Michael Trombetta, the daughter of Twirling Candy is owned by Larry Johnson. Multiple stakes placed Honey Pants, sporting a record of 2-3-0 from seven starts, looks to deliver her connections, trainer Christophe Clement, and owners Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister, her first stakes crown. Hard Street, owned by Al & Bill Ulwelling, aims for her second straight win after a maiden-breaking victory on July 8. The daughter of Hard Spun is trained by Kevin Attard, and was bred by Tall Oaks Farm.

First-race post time for Saturday's 11-race card is 1:10 p.m. Fans can watch and wager on all the action with HPIbet.com.

FIELD FOR THE $125,000 MY DEAR STAKES

POST – HORSE – JOCKEY – TRAINER

1 – Diabolic (IRE) – Antonio Gallardo – Mark Casse

2 – Jimmy is a Breeze – Omar Moreno – Alex McPherson

3 – Royal Engagement – Kazushi Kimura – Timothy Hamm

4 – Lois Len – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

5 – Bid Once – Steven Bahen – Ian Howard

6 – Gorman – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Kelsey Danner

7 – Curlin Candy – Justin Stein – Michael De Paulo

8 – Guileful – Simon Husbands – Nathan Squires

FIELD FOR THE $125,000 VICTORIA STAKES

POST – HORSE – JOCKEY – TRAINER

1 – Ultimate Answer – Larry Munoz – Martin Hinckson

2 – Concealed Carry – David Moran – Barb Minshall

3 – Mowins – Kazushi Kimura – Michael Lauer

4 – Twenty Four Mamba – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

5 – Romantic Gamble – Luis Contreras – Josie Carroll

6 – One Timer – E.T. Baird – Larry Rivelli

7 – Summer Sunset (S) – Emma-Jayne Wilson – William Tharrenos

8 – Feelthebeat – Sunny Singh – Norm McKnight

FIELD FOR THE $100,000 ALYWOW STAKES

POST – HORSE – JOCKEY – TRAINER

1 – Lady War Machine – Patrick Husbands – Josie Carroll

2 – La Libertee – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mark Casse

3 – Can't Buy Love – Justin Stein – Michael Trombetta

4 – Honey Pants – Kazushi Kimura – Christophe Clement

5 – Hard Street – Omar Moreno – Kevin Attard

6 – Dirty Dangle – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

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Bloodlines: A Mudslide Of Uniformity In The Stallion Market

What would happen to Mr. Prospector if he were a stallion prospect for 2022? Really, where would a very fast racehorse who didn't win a graded stakes go to stud?

And don't even think about Danzig.

Among the sires and stallion prospects at the commercial stallion farms today, there is a startling uniformity of pedigree and accomplishment. As one stallion manager told me, “If a horse doesn't have a G1 on his race record, and preferably a G1 at nine furlongs or less, we know there's not much reason to stand him.”

One might be surprised that the stallion operations such as Coolmore, Darley, Claiborne, Gainesway, Hill 'n' Dale, Lane's End, Spendthrift, and WinStar don't set the bar on who goes to stud and who doesn't. They do, in a round-about way, of course, but the real test of selection is what will sell.

Stallion farms don't want to stand stallions whose seasons they can't sell, and commercial breeders don't want to use stallions whose stock they won't make a profit on. Therefore, the projections of stallion managers and individual breeders are the yardstick to measure the horses they want at stud and that end up going to stud and making a good early impression.

In the absence of very strong demand from private breeders who race their own stock, the marketplace for stallions is dictated by the majority of buyers, and those are resellers, primarily at the sales of racehorse prospects in training as 2-year-olds.

To change that dynamic, I would estimate that owner-breeder operations would need to account for at least 40-50 percent of the Kentucky stud fees sold, but today, I'd estimate those men and women who primarily race their own homebreds represent 20 percent or less of the pool of breeders who use Kentucky stallions.

As a result, the great majority of the stallion pool is predicated on what will sell to the great majority of buyers. The obvious emphasis is upon the young, very high-achieving racehorses with speed. Champions and near-champions only need apply.

In one sense, that might be a good thing because it places an intense emphasis upon the expression of racetrack excellence.

We do, however, have a long and well-documented history of breeding the Thoroughbred, and despite the importance of breeding to animals with superior athletic ability, the greatest sires are not always the greatest racehorses.

For every St. Simon or Nearco, there is a Phalaris or a Bull Lea. Not to mention such relative castoffs as the unraced Alibhai or the non-stakes winner Danzig.

The obvious reason for this is that racing and breeding are different things and require different characteristics, to a degree.

In racing, the emphasis, perhaps nearly the only emphasis, is on the phenotype, the physical animal in front of us. In breeding, however, the emphasis is the genotype of the horses involved.

Genotype is trickier because we don't know exactly what makes a great sire so successful and what makes another “just a horse.”

Consider a couple of champions from the mid-1960s: Northern Dancer and Buckpasser. The best 3-year-old colts of 1964 and 1966, respectively, each had an outstanding racing record, went to stud with high acclaim, and achieved immediate success. Would anyone question, though, which was the more influential sire?

Hands down, it was Northern Dancer, and from the inferential evidence of his progeny, I'd say that Northern Dancer essentially got all the positive, high-class alleles from both of his paternal grandsire Nearco and great-grandsire Hyperion (sire of Nearctic's dam), as well as from his maternal grandsire Native Dancer. That inheritance resulted in Northern Dancer passing on so much positive genetic code that his offspring were able to express racing ability of a very high order from an unusually high percentage of those offspring.

The horse who receives a higher proportion of genes that help the next generation isn't always a champion, and we have seen others, including such contemporary stallion stars as Malibu Moon, Into Mischief, and Tapit, who began a life at stud with the season sales professionals beating down doors in search of mares to fill their books.

The evidence of the past and the great successes of the present clearly indicate that breeders and their advisers should advocate to have more stallions – not fewer – go to stud annually to allow those “lucky genes” to have expression, rather than smothering the breed with a mudslide of uniformity.

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CTHS British Columbia Yearling And Mixed Sale Catalog Now Online

The catalog for the 2021 Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (British Columbia Division) Yearling and Mixed Sale is now online, featuring 88 entries.

The auction will take place Tuesday, Sept. 14 at the Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, B.C., beginning at 3 p.m. Pacific.

This year's catalog consists entirely of yearlings, save for a lone 2-year-old. British Columbia-breds make up the bulk of the catalog, with other entries being born in Kentucky and Louisiana.

Canadian-bred yearlings offered in the auction will be eligible for the CTHS Sales Stakes series, which offers restricted stakes races in various provinces across the country. British Columbia's contribution to the Sales Stakes program features four stakes races at Hastings Racecourse, each with a purse of CAN$50,000.

Stallions whose first crops of yearlings are represented in the catalog include Counterforce and Ralis.

To view the online catalog, click here.

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