English Channel continues to be model of consistency

English Channel has been a model of consistency as a sire ever since his first foals raced in 2011. The son of Smart Strike has been a steady producer of top runners, especially of turf runners, though that should be expected of a horse who was one of the top grass runners in his day, winning 13 of 22 starts on turf, earning $5.7 million, and taking home an Eclipse Award as 2007 champion turf horse. At stud – starting at Lane’s End in 2008 before moving to Calumet Farm in 2015 – English Channel has sired six champions, 25 graded stakes winners, and 52 total stakes winners. In 2019, he was among the leading sires by Beyer Speed Figures for runners on turf, as well as being among the leaders for runners on all surfaces, according to Beyer Sire Performance Standings. In 2019, his top runner was Grade 1 Man o’ War Stakes winner Channel Maker, who won that race with a season-best Beyer of 105.

In 2019, English Channel was third by progeny earnings for sires of turf runners, tied for sixth for sires of graded stakes winners, 19th by progeny earnings on synthetic surfaces, 21st by number of winners, and 23rd on the general sire list. That consistency is exemplified in his stud fee – English Channel stood for a fee of $25,000 in his first year and maintained that for a remarkable 11 straight seasons. In 2019, his fee finally moved up, to $30,000, and in 2020 he will be standing for a fee of $35,000.

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