Channel Maker, Sadler's Joy Meet Again in Bowling Green

Grade 1 winners Channel Maker and Sadler's Joy, who have combined to earn more than $4.7 million in purses during their lengthy careers, will attempt to end frustrating losing streaks Aug. 1 in the $250,000 Bowling Green Stakes (G2T) at 1 3/8 miles on turf at Saratoga Race Course.

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 Man o' War Stakes (G1T) in May 2019 at Belmont Park, though he has come close to victory at times. The gelded 6-year-old son of English Channel  has lost by a length or less three times during the drought, including in last year's Bowling Green, when he came up three-quarters of a length shy of defending his 2018 dead-heat victory. Most recently, he finished fourth in the 1 1/4-mile Manhattan Stakes (G1T) 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."

Channel Maker has a 5-5-3 record with nearly $2.2 million in earnings from 33 starts. Reeves bought into the chestnut following his victory in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) 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. 

Manny Franco, aboard in the Manhattan, has been named to ride by Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

Woodslane Farm homebred Sadler's Joy earned his lone grade 1 victory in the 2017 Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga and was second, a neck behind the winner, in last year's edition. The 7-year-old Kitten's Joy  horse capped his 2019 campaign by winning the Red Smith Stakes (G3T) in November at Aqueduct Racetrack. He is winless in four starts this year.

The Tom Albertrani trainee rallied wide to grab third in the Manhattan, beaten three-quarters of a length, over a trip shorter than his best. He was a neck ahead of Channel Maker at the finish.

Albertrani is hoping his regular rider, Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, will be able to carve out a good trip with the late runner, who has finished in the top three in 21 of 30 starts, seven of them wins, with more than $2.5 million in earnings.

"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," Albertrani said.

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

Cross Border is 4-for-4 at Saratoga and will be returning on short rest if he starts. He won the Lubash Stakes against New York-breds July 22.

Marzo won the Sycamore Stakes (G3T) in October at Keeneland in his second start since being claimed by Maker for $62,500. He has not raced since the spring.

Dot Matrix, Highland Sky, and Pillar Mountain complete the seven-horse field.

Entries: Bowling Green S. (G2T)

Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, August 01, 2020, Race 11

• Grade II
• 1 3/8m
• Inner turf
• $250,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 6:50 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Marzo (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	120	Michael J. Maker	8/1
2	2Cross Border (NY)	Jose L. Ortiz	118	Michael J. Maker	5/2
3	3Highland Sky (KY)	Junior Alvarado	118	Barclay Tagg	15/1
4	4Dot Matrix (NY)	Joel Rosario	122	Brad H. Cox	9/2
5	5Channel Maker (ON)	Manuel Franco	120	William I. Mott	7/2
6	6Sadler's Joy (KY)	Javier Castellano	122	Thomas Albertrani	2/1
7	7Pillar Mountain (IRE)	John R. Velazquez	118	Todd A. Pletcher	12/1