Channel Maker (CAN)
February 11, 2014 – Living
English Channel (USA) x In Return (USA), by Horse Chestnut (SAF)
Family 5-b
February 11, 2014 – Living
English Channel (USA) x In Return (USA), by Horse Chestnut (SAF)
Family 5-b
Channel Maker was easy to pick out in any long-distance turf event: bowling along on the front end with his head held high in the manner of Stymie and Native Diver. He didn't always last all the way to the wire, but he was always a dangerous horse when loose on the lead and was no quitter when hooked. A champion in both Canada and the United States, he showed graded stakes-winning form through age 9, when he was finally retired.
Race record
56 starts, 10 wins, 6 seconds, 5 thirds, US$3,715,983 (includes converted Canadian earnings)
2016:
2017:
2018:
2019:
2020:
2021:
2022:
2023:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 116 pounds in the Long category on the 2018 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, 14 pounds below co-highweights Cracksman and Winx and 10 pounds below the best horse in the Long category, Poet's Word.
Rated at 116 pounds in the Long category on the 2019 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, 12 pounds below co-highweights Crystal Ocean, Enable, and Waldgeist (who also jointly topped the Long category).
Rated at 120 pounds in the Long category on the 2020 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, 10 pounds below overall highweight Ghaiyyath (who also topped the Long category at 127 pounds).
As an individual
A chestnut gelding, Channel Maker preferred to dictate the pace when on his game. He typically ran with an unusually high head carriage. According to trainer Bill Mott. he enjoyed racing and loved to train.
Connections
Foaled in Ontario, Channel Maker was bred by Tall Oaks Farm. He started his racing career for Joey Gee Thoroughbreds, which sold a 50 percent interest to Adam Wachtel's Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber in fall 2016. After the 2018 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, Randy Hill's R. A. Hill Stable and Dean Reeves's Reeves Thoroughbred Racing bought into the horse. Originally trained by Danny Vella, Channel Maker was transferred to Bill Mott in March 2017 and remained in Mott's barn for the rest of his career. He was retired in October 2023 after finishing next to last in the Sycamore Stakes (USA-G3) at Keeneland.
Pedigree notes
Channel Maker is inbred 5x5x5 to the great sire Northern Dancer, the 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old male. He is a full brother to 2017 Canadian champion turf male Johnny Bear and a half brother to Grade 1-placed restricted stakes winner Court Return (by Court Vision).
Channel Maker and his siblings are out of 2018 Canadian Broodmare of the Year In Return, who produced only four named foals. Sired by 1999 South African Horse of the Year Horse Chestnut, In Return was a stakes winner and set or equaled three course records at Monmouth Park. She is out of Bartered Bride (by 1985 General Accident Two Thousand Guineas, G1, winner Shadeed), a half sister to 1996 Acorn Stakes (USA-G1) winner Star de Lady Ann (by Star de Naskra) and 1998 Flower Bowl Invitational Handicap (USA-G1) winner Auntie Mame (by Theatrical); the last-named mare is the second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Gam’s Mission. Bartered Bride is also a half sister to Lady Nicholas (by Nicholas), dam of Canadian listed stakes winner Pants n Kisses (by Mr. Greeley).
Bartered Bride and her siblings are out of the Sir Ivor mare Lady Vixen, a half sister to multiple restricted stakes winner T. V. Heart Throb (by Known Fact). The next dam in Channel Maker’s tail-female line, 1976 Fantasy Stakes (USA-G2) winner T. V. Vixen (by T. V. Lark), is out of the stakes-placed Crimson Satan mare Crimson Lass (a half sister to stakes winner Whitesburg Lass, by Whitesburg) and is a half sister to multiple Grade/Group 3 winner Eastland (by Exceller), dam of Irish Group 3 winner Misako Togo (by Theatrical); to Grade 3 winner Lady Annabelle (by Sir Ivor); and to multiple stakes winner Dancer’s Lass (by Rattle Dancer). T. V. Vixen is also a half sister to Crimson Echo (by High Echelon), dam of multiple listed stakes winner Michey’s Echo (by Mickey McGuire), and to Cream ‘n Crimson (by Vaguely Noble), dam of multiple French Group 3 winner Qirmazi (by Riverman) and multiple Japanese listed stakes winner Hishi Masaru (by Secretariat).
Books and media
The New York Racing Association’s footage of Channel Maker’s win in the 2020 Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQimW6mDtjg.
Fun facts
Last updated: October 27, 2023
Race record
56 starts, 10 wins, 6 seconds, 5 thirds, US$3,715,983 (includes converted Canadian earnings)
2016:
- Won Vandal Stakes (CAN-R, 6.5FT, Woodbine)
- 3rd Summer Stakes (USA-G2, 8FT, Woodbine)
2017:
- Won Breeders' Stakes (CAN-R, 12FT, Woodbine)
- 2nd Hollywood Derby (USA-G1, 9FT, Del Mar)
- 2nd Marine Stakes (CAN-G3, 8.5FA, Woodbine)
2018:
- Won Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (USA-G1, 12FT, Belmont)
- Won Bowling Green Stakes (USA-G2, 11FT, Saratoga; dead heat with Glorious Empire)
- 2nd Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes (USA-G1, 12FT, Saratoga)
- 3rd Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes (USA-G1, 8FT, Saratoga)
2019:
- Won Man o' War Stakes (USA-G1, 11FT, Belmont)
- 2nd Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (USA-G1, 12FT, Belmont)
2020:
- Won Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes (USA-G1, 12FT, Saratoga)
- Won Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (USA-G1, 12FT, Belmont)
- 3rd Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (USA-G1, 12FT, Keeneland)
- 3rd Bowling Green Stakes (USA-G2, 11FT, Saratoga)
2021:
- 2nd Neom Turf Cup (KSA-N, King Abdulaziz Racecourse)
2022:
- Won Elkhorn Stakes (USA-G2, 12FT, Keeneland)
- Won Grand Couturier Stakes (USA, 12FT, Belmont)
2023:
- Won Bowling Green Stakes (USA-G2, 11FT, Saratoga)
Honors
- Eclipse Award, American champion turf male (2020)
- Sovereign Award, Canadian champion 3-year-old male (2017)
Assessments
Rated at 116 pounds in the Long category on the 2018 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, 14 pounds below co-highweights Cracksman and Winx and 10 pounds below the best horse in the Long category, Poet's Word.
Rated at 116 pounds in the Long category on the 2019 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, 12 pounds below co-highweights Crystal Ocean, Enable, and Waldgeist (who also jointly topped the Long category).
Rated at 120 pounds in the Long category on the 2020 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, 10 pounds below overall highweight Ghaiyyath (who also topped the Long category at 127 pounds).
As an individual
A chestnut gelding, Channel Maker preferred to dictate the pace when on his game. He typically ran with an unusually high head carriage. According to trainer Bill Mott. he enjoyed racing and loved to train.
Connections
Foaled in Ontario, Channel Maker was bred by Tall Oaks Farm. He started his racing career for Joey Gee Thoroughbreds, which sold a 50 percent interest to Adam Wachtel's Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber in fall 2016. After the 2018 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, Randy Hill's R. A. Hill Stable and Dean Reeves's Reeves Thoroughbred Racing bought into the horse. Originally trained by Danny Vella, Channel Maker was transferred to Bill Mott in March 2017 and remained in Mott's barn for the rest of his career. He was retired in October 2023 after finishing next to last in the Sycamore Stakes (USA-G3) at Keeneland.
Pedigree notes
Channel Maker is inbred 5x5x5 to the great sire Northern Dancer, the 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old male. He is a full brother to 2017 Canadian champion turf male Johnny Bear and a half brother to Grade 1-placed restricted stakes winner Court Return (by Court Vision).
Channel Maker and his siblings are out of 2018 Canadian Broodmare of the Year In Return, who produced only four named foals. Sired by 1999 South African Horse of the Year Horse Chestnut, In Return was a stakes winner and set or equaled three course records at Monmouth Park. She is out of Bartered Bride (by 1985 General Accident Two Thousand Guineas, G1, winner Shadeed), a half sister to 1996 Acorn Stakes (USA-G1) winner Star de Lady Ann (by Star de Naskra) and 1998 Flower Bowl Invitational Handicap (USA-G1) winner Auntie Mame (by Theatrical); the last-named mare is the second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Gam’s Mission. Bartered Bride is also a half sister to Lady Nicholas (by Nicholas), dam of Canadian listed stakes winner Pants n Kisses (by Mr. Greeley).
Bartered Bride and her siblings are out of the Sir Ivor mare Lady Vixen, a half sister to multiple restricted stakes winner T. V. Heart Throb (by Known Fact). The next dam in Channel Maker’s tail-female line, 1976 Fantasy Stakes (USA-G2) winner T. V. Vixen (by T. V. Lark), is out of the stakes-placed Crimson Satan mare Crimson Lass (a half sister to stakes winner Whitesburg Lass, by Whitesburg) and is a half sister to multiple Grade/Group 3 winner Eastland (by Exceller), dam of Irish Group 3 winner Misako Togo (by Theatrical); to Grade 3 winner Lady Annabelle (by Sir Ivor); and to multiple stakes winner Dancer’s Lass (by Rattle Dancer). T. V. Vixen is also a half sister to Crimson Echo (by High Echelon), dam of multiple listed stakes winner Michey’s Echo (by Mickey McGuire), and to Cream ‘n Crimson (by Vaguely Noble), dam of multiple French Group 3 winner Qirmazi (by Riverman) and multiple Japanese listed stakes winner Hishi Masaru (by Secretariat).
Books and media
The New York Racing Association’s footage of Channel Maker’s win in the 2020 Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQimW6mDtjg.
Fun facts
- Channel Maker made a record six starts in Breeders’ Cup races. His best finish was in 2020 when he was third in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, beaten a length and a nose by multiple European Group 1 winners Tarnawa and Magical.
- Channel Maker ran with such a high head carriage that some jockeys did not want to ride him because of it. As co-owner Adam Wachtel commented, “He looks like a giraffe when he runs, doesn’t he?”
Last updated: October 27, 2023