Channel Maker, Hembree Eye Gulfstream Turf Wins

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Channel Maker, Hembree Eye Gulfstream Turf Wins
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Photo: Joe DiOrio
Channel Maker

Grade 1 winner Channel Maker will try to improve on a fifth-place finish in the inaugural Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T) while Hembree will try for a second straight win on the Gulfstream Park grass in a pair of graded stakes for older males March 2.

In the $200,000 Mac Diarmida Stakes (G2T), which closes out Saturday's 14-race Gulfstream card that features nine graded stakes, R. A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Gary Barber, and Wachtel Stable's Channel Maker will start from the outside post in the expected field of 11. In the Pegasus Turf, the 5-year-old English Channel  gelding rallied from ninth and was checked late before finishing fifth.

Trainer Bill Mott thought Channel Maker may have been too far back early in the 1 3/16-mile Pegasus Turf but the Racing Hall of Famer believes the gelding is heading in the right direction going into the 1 3/8-mile race. Joel Rosario, who guided Channel Maker to a victory in last year's Bowling Green Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course, will have the mount.

"He got a little far back last time. Tactically maybe he wasn't in the best spot," Mott said. "I can't make huge excuses for him. He had the entire stretch to make up ground and he made up some ground, but not enough. We're going to a little bit longer distance now and hopefully that'll suit him and he'll be placed up into the race a little bit earlier. The last one was 9 1/2 furlongs so we're stretching out a little bit this time which suit him a little better."

Following his Bowling Green score, Channel Maker finished second in the Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga, won the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park, and finished off the board in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) at Churchill Downs to close out 2018.

While Channel Maker aims to get on track in 2019, he'll face a horse with a graded stakes win over the course in Michael Hui's Zulu Alpha. On the same Jan. 26 Gulfstream card as the Pegasus, Zulu Alpha rallied from sixth early to win the 1 1/2-mile W. L. McKnight Stakes (G3T). The 6-year-old son Street Cry gelding is trained by Mike Maker.

Maker also has a runner entered off a stakes win in the $150,000 Canadian Turf Stakes (G3T) where Hembree will try to make it two stakes wins in a row at Gulfstream after rallying from 11th to win the El Prado Stakes by a neck Feb. 9. That race was contested at 7 1/2 furlongs and the son of Proud Citizen will try the mile distance in the Canadian Turf.

Hembree wins the 2019 El Prado Stakes at Gulfstream Park
Photo: Coglianese Photos/Kenny Martin
Hembree

Three Diamonds Farm's Hembree secured the first stakes win of his career in October when he rallied from seventh to win the six-furlong Nearctic Stakes (G2T) at Woodbine. 




Entries: Canadian Turf S. (G3T)

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, March 02, 2019, Race 5

  • Grade IIIT
  • 1m
  • Turf
  • $150,000
  • 4 yo's & up
  • 1:30 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Siem Riep (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Albin Jimenez 119 Ben Colebrook 10/1
2 2Cowboy Culture (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Julien R. Leparoux 119 Norm W. Casse 7/2
3 3Holiday Stone (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Manuel Franco 117 George Weaver 8/1
4 4Sand Dancer (KY) Joe Bravo 117 Daniel E. Sanner 20/1
5 5Krampus (KY) John R. Velazquez 117 William I. Mott 6/1
6 6Hembree (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Jose L. Ortiz 121 Michael J. Maker 5/2
7 7Breaking the Rules (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 121 Claude R. McGaughey III 9/5




Entries: Mac Diarmida S. (G2T)

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, March 02, 2019, Race 14

  • Grade IIT
  • 1 3/8m
  • Turf
  • $200,000
  • 4 yo's & up
  • 6:06 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Golden Dragon (KY) Leonel Reyes 117 Mikhail Yanakov 50/1
2 2Village King (ARG) John R. Velazquez 119 Todd A. Pletcher 8/1
3 3Melmich (ON) Javier Castellano 119 Kevin Attard 15/1
4 4Hunter O'Riley (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Tyler Gaffalione 119 James J. Toner 10/1
5 5Vettori Kin (BRZ) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 119 Kenneth G. McPeek 12/1
6 6Zulu Alpha (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 123 Michael J. Maker 3/1
7 7The Best Candy (PA)Keeneland Sales Graduate Jorge Solorzano 117 Jaime Mejia 50/1
8 8Highland Sky (KY) Manuel Franco 119 Barclay Tagg 9/2
9 9Kulin Rock (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 117 Michael J. Maker 20/1
10 10Montclair (IRE) Julien R. Leparoux 119 Yvon Belsoeur 15/1
11 11Channel Maker (ON)Keeneland Sales Graduate Joel Rosario 123 William I. Mott 9/5