Wachtel Sees Channel Maker Peaking at Right Time

In a division that has been searching for a clear-cut leader since the year started, Adam Wachtel believes he has a candidate poised to take charge among older turf males.

Even if that horse, Channel Maker, owns only four wins in 20 career starts.

After watching Channel Maker fend off a stretch bid from favored Arlington Million (G1T) winner Robert Bruce and pull away to capture the $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1T) by 4 1/2 convincing lengths for trainer Bill Mott, Wachtel views the Sept. 29 victory at Belmont Park as a defining moment for both his 4-year-old gelding and the division heading into the Breeders' Cup World Championships.

"I don't know who is out there that I am scared of," said Wachtel who teamed with Gary Barber to purchase Channel Maker as a 2-year-old after he was third behind Mott's Good Samaritan  in the Summer Stakes (G2T) at Woodbine in September 2016. "There's some nice horses, but there's no standout like there was when I ran (Al Khali ) in (the Joe Hirsch) against Gio Ponti  (in 2009). I don't think there's any big horse among the Americans going into the Breeders' Cup. We'll see which Euros show up."

That next race will be the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) at Churchill Downs Nov. 3, where Channel Maker will face not only the top North American horses but also some formidable competition from overseas. Nevertheless, Mott's confidence has been stoked by the way the Ontario-bred son of 2007 John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf winner English Channel  has improved since finishing second by 1 3/4 lengths to Glorious Empire in the Aug. 25 Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course.

"A horse couldn't be doing better than he's been doing," Mott said. "I don't know if he can stay this good for another four or five weeks, but he's just gotten better and better since we had those two runs at Saratoga."

Bred by Tall Oaks Farm, Channel Maker pushed his earnings past the $1 million mark to $1,090,000 in the 1 1/2-mile Joe Hirsch. It also marked just the second win for Channel Maker in seven 2018 starts, with the other coming in a dead-heat with Glorious Empire in the July 28 Bowling Green Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga. Yet Wachtel says his full brother to two-time Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (G1T) winner Johnny Bear has turned a corner by showing more early speed in his past three races after spending the bulk of his career as a deep closer.

"Going back to the Bowling Green, we decided to get him a little more forwardly placed, because he's a big horse and he always got interrupted somehow," said Wachtel, whose runner picked up a free entry into the Turf through the "Win and You're In" conditions of the Joe Hirsch. "I think the change in tactics has helped because the talent was always there. On the (Ragozin) Sheets, he's always been among the best in his division, as a 2-year-old, a 3-year-old and now. He just had some tough trips along the way."

In the Joe Hirsch, Channel Maker led at every call over a soft course, while cruising along through a half-mile in :50.52 seconds and six furlongs in a slow 1:16.31. Those tactics add even more intrigue to a rematch with the speedy Glorious Empire in the 1 1/2-mile Turf. A 7-year-old gelding, Glorious Empire skipped the Joe Hirsch after leading every step of the way over firm turf in the 1 1/2-mile Sword Dancer and securing a "Win and You're In" spot for the 1 1/2-mile test at the World Championships, a test that should determine the division champion.

"Glorious Empire is very impressive for a horse that was running for a tag a year ago. When you look at those Saratoga races, he's a legitimate horse," Wachtel said. "But I've paid careful attention to the division all year long I have been telling Bill that Channel Maker is among the five best turf horses. Even when he finished seventh in the Manhattan (G1T), he was only beaten a length-and-a-half and he had a tough trip. Based on what I have been seeing and hearing from Bill, I believe he might be peaking."