Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, R. A. Hill Stable and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Channel Maker (English Channel) will be looking to regain his best form while making a record-setting sixth Breeders' Cup appearance in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Saturday at Keeneland.
“The owners are very excited to give him an opportunity to run and I think he would be the first to run six times, a record, at the Breeders' Cup,” said trainer Bill Mott. “How's he doing? Well, he's doing fine…he's doing great…but is he at his best from two years ago? Or has he lost a step at 8-years-old? Perhaps, but we'll see how the race shapes up.”
The 8-year-old gelding was seventh in the 2016 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf S. and was 11th in the 2018 Turf and 12th in 2019. He had his best finish of championship weekend when third after setting the pace in the 2020 Turf at Keeneland, a result which helped the Ontario-bred earn the Eclipse statue as the country's leading turf horse. A year ago, he was fifth in the Turf.
Channel Maker opened 2022 with a win in the GII Elkhorn S. and he also won the Grand Couturier S. in July, but he was off the board in the GI Manhattan S., GI Sword Dancer S. and is coming off a fourth-place effort in the Oct. 14 GIII Sycamore S.
“He still ran a good race in his last race and he does love Keeneland,” Mott said. “He was third and was beaten just a half-length in the Breeders' Cup here and he won the Elkhorn here earlier this year. According to the handicapper, there's not a tremendous amount of speed in the race and he likes to be up close to the pace. If the pace and situation are right, maybe he can get a piece of it.”
Mott will also be represented in Saturday's Turf by the ultra-consistent War Like Goddess (English Channel), a perfect two-for-two over the Keeneland lawn and coming off a win over the boys in the Oct. 8 GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic S. The George Krikorian colorbearer has nine wins and has finished off the board just once in 12 career starts.
“She's training well,” Mott said of the 5-year-old mare. “It would be great to win with her.”
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
