Channel Maker takes another Grade 1 wire to wire, winning Joe Hirsch

ELMONT, N.Y. -- Channel Maker is at his best when there is some give in the ground and he can dictate the pace.

Both factors were in play Saturday at Belmont Park as Channel Maker, after outrunning Cross Border to the lead early, was able to set realistic fractions thereafter while alone up front under Manny Franco and galloped to a 2 1/2-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 1, $250,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park.

Laccario, a German-bred making his U.S. debut, rallied from sixth to be second, a half-length in front of Sadler’s Joy, who finished third in the Joe Hirsch for the third consecutive year. Master Piece was fourth followed by Rockemperor, the 2-1 favorite, Cross Broder, and Highland Sky.

Channel Maker, a 6-year-old gelding by English Channel, won this race for the second time in three years, having also gone gate to wire in 2018. He was beaten a half-length by Arklow last year. In 2017, as a 3-year-old, Channel Maker finished sixth.

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Back then, Channel Maker was struggling to find his way, having won just two of his first 17 starts. Now, he is a four-time Grade 1 winner, having won this race twice, the Man o' War last year here, and the Sword Dancer last month at Saratoga.

“Pretty cool,” said trainer Bill Mott, who won this race for the fourth time. “I’m just thinking back to when we first got him it was hard to get through the one-other-than condition with him.”

Channel Maker, owned by Reeves Racing, Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, and Randy Hill, improved his record to 7 for 36 and increased his career earnings to $2,631,551. He will take that record into the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland, where he should find a turf course to his liking.

Saturday, while the turf course was officially labeled firm, there was certainly a little cut in the ground after some mid-week rains accompanied by cooler temperatures. The other key was Manny Franco’s decision to go to the front no matter what.

Channel Maker and Cross Border, under Kendrick Carmouche, both seemed to be intent on going to the lead. Franco wanted it more. The posted first quarter down the straight stretch was 22.89 seconds.

The pace was more realistic thereafter as Channel Maker, holding his head high as is his wont, kept his clear advantage through a half-mile in 49.44 seconds, six furlongs in 1:14.45, and a mile in 1:38.20. He covered the 1 1/2 miles in 2:25.99 and returned $7.60 as the second choice.

“I went aggressive, I wanted to go,” Franco said. “I knew the outside horse was going to put pressure, but my horse break good let him go in the in the beginning then I sat. It was perfect.”

Laccario, who sat back early, came widest of all to get second under Dylan Davis. Laccario, trained by Andreas Wohler, will remain in the U.S. with trainer Graham Motion.