Channel Maker hopes to roll another seven in Joe Hirsch Turf Classic

ELMONT, N.Y. – Last year, Channel Maker won the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Classic breaking from the outside post in a field of seven.

Channel Maker will again break from the outside post in a seven-horse field in Saturday’s $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic. The only difference is last year, the Joe Hirsch was a Win and You’re In for the BC Turf. This year, it isn’t.

Channel Maker won the Grade 1 Man o’ War here in May but is coming into the Hirsch off a trio of fourth-place finishes in the Manhattan, Bowling Green, and Sword Dancer.

In the Bowling Green, trainer Bill Mott said that Channel Maker “was right there, he just didn’t have the turn of foot to finish it off.” In the Sword Dancer, he got hooked up in a speed duel with Ya Primo, who is back in this field, but whose trainer, Chad Brown, has said he won’t be on the lead on Saturday.

The Hirsch field, from the rail out, is Zulu Alpha, Channel Cat, Ya Primo, Cross Border, Arklow, Sadler’s Joy and Channel Maker.