For starters, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the race was postponed from the traditional first Saturday in May to Labor Day weekend.Īlong the way, it appeared the delay in the running of the race may give us the deepest Derby field possibly ever.

To say this has been a different lead up to the Derby may be the greatest understatement in the history of horse racing. The race is the 14 th on the Churchill Downs card with post time scheduled for 4:01 p.m. That year he was honored as champion turf male in North America.Three months later than normal we have arrived at the Kentucky Derby, as the Run for the Roses is set for Saturday at Churchill Down. Her last reported foal was the grade 1-placed black-type winner Court Return, born in 2016.Ī five-time veteran of the Breeders' Cup, Channel Maker put in his best effort in the 2020 edition at Keeneland where he finished third, a length behind Tarnawa and Magical, running 'really, really well,' Mott said. The Elkhorn was his fifth graded stakes score, joining the 20 editions of the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1T), the 2020 Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T), the 2019 Man o' War Stakes (G1T), and the 2018 Bowling Green Stakes (G2T).Ĭhannel Maker was bred in Ontario by Ivan Dalos' Tall Oaks Farm out of the Horse Chestnut mare In Return, a speedy black-type winner who set two course records at Monmouth Park in 2006 and tied one there in 2007. Hill Stable, and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, he improved his record to 8-6-5 from 44 starts, with earnings of $3,595,576. Racing for Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, R.A. The order of finish was completed by Bama Breeze, Sole Volante, Cullum Road, Two Emmys, and Tiberius Mercurius.Ĭhannel Maker was sent off at 7-2 odds and returned $9 on a $2 win ticket. He held sway over the late inside rally of Another Mystery by 1 1/4 lengths, with Bemma's Boy completing the trifecta another half-length back. His veteran mount certainly made the right decision Saturday, drawing clear late despite drifting out. 'You have to let him decide when he's going to make his move,' Saez said. While Tiberius Mercurius briefly stuck a head in front through a 1:37.91 mile and clicked the timer in 2:02.64 for 1 1/4 miles, he tired down the lane as Channel Maker ranged up to take control. 'So I sat right there at his shoulder, and when we came to the top of the stretch it was all about (Channel Maker).' 'He used to run on the lead, but we decided last night to take him a little from behind, so the key today was to break and let the 3 horse (Two Emmys) go because we knew that was the speed in the race,' Saez said. And once we started breezing him, he jumped right back into it.'īack into it indeed-Channel Maker was forwardly placed throughout and pressed the pace set by Two Emmys, who showed the way through early fractions of :25.13, :49.53, and 1:14.05. After about 45 days, he started to loosen up and grab the bridle and he was training good. 'When you reach a certain age, it probably is harder to get back in shape. 'We gave him some time and brought him back and it took him a while to get loosened up after the layup,' Mott said. Channel Maker spent the winter at Mott's Payson Park base before moving to Churchill Downs in advance of this start. 6 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) at Del Mar. The two first partnered for the chestnut's most recent start, a fifth in the Nov. Luis Saez had the return call aboard Channel Maker.

'I told my assistant Kenny (McCarthy) that the old guy's still got a little fire in the furnace.'

'No kidding isn't that amazing?' Mott remarked when informed of the connection.

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