Channel by a head in French Oaks

Channel got a perfect trip under Pierre-Charles Boudot and posted a mild upset in the Group 1 Prix de Diane, the French Oaks, on Sunday at Chantilly.

Boudot tucked Channel right in behind the leaders throughout much of the 1 5/16-mile Prix de Diane, waiting until about 400 meters remained before switching outside the pace-disputing Wonderment to give his mount a clear look at daylight. The diminutive Channel responded gamely to heavy urging, opened a lead with a furlong to run, and had just enough in the tank to stave off a late surge from Commes, winning by a head.

Grand Glory, rallying late and wide, was another half-length back in third, part of a closely bunched group running down to sixth place, and was followed home in short order by Etoile, Carla Tarida, and the heavily favored Siyarafina. Siyarafina, tasting defeat for the first time in her fourth start, broke from the outside post in a field of 16 3-year-old fillies and raced wide for much of the trip. She mounted a brief challenge in upper stretch but couldn’t sustain her run.

The race was contested over good-to-soft going, and the winning time on the right-handed course was 2:08.70, just about standard for the distance at Chantilly.

Francis Graffard, who won his first classic race, trains Channel for owner Samuel de Barros. Channel is by Nathaniel and out of Love Magic, by Dansili, and scored a major win in her first start at the group stakes level. Unraced at 2, Channel debuted March 30, finishing second of 14 before posting two open-lengths wins that earned her a spot in the Prix de Diane.