Seismic Wave, back at a mile, gets it done in English Channel Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – After spending most of the summer and early fall chasing lucrative pots at longer distances, the connections of Seismic Wave found out that shorter is better for their 3-year-old colt.

Last turning for home, Seismic Wave rallied down the center of Belmont Park’s Widener Turf course under Jose Ortiz to win Saturday’s $100,000 English Channel Stakes by a half-length over Front Run the Fed, who nosed out Halladay for second. Following Halladay in the order of finish were Chilly in Charge, Bourbon War, Power Player, Call Me Harry and Digital Footprint.

The win was the third on the card for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, who won the first two races with 2-year-olds Forza Di Oro (3.90) and Homeland ($6.90).

The win was also the third this year for Seismic Wave, first since he won the Cutler Bay going a mile at Gulfstream in March. He lost six straight races at distances from 1 1/16 miles to 1 1/4 miles.

“We’ve tried him in those longer races and he always seems like a horse that’s going to come running but then the last part of it he kind of flattens out a bit,” said Leana Willaford, assistant to Mott.

In shorter races, Seismic Wave got a solid pace in front of him as Call Me Harry and Halladay sparred on the lead through a half-mile in 46.54 seconds. Ortiz had moved Seismic Wave to seventh position midway down the backstretch but wasn’t quite ready to move when Joe Bravo asked Chilly in Charge to pick it up from last.

Turning for home, Ortiz swung Seismic Wave into the seven path and he came with a gradual late run to get past Front Run the Fed and Halladay in the shadow of the wire.

“If I had to stop and go around I wouldn’t have won,” Ortiz said. “I waited to take him out and make one run. When he came to the clear he gave me a good run.”

Seismic Wave, a son of Tapit owned by Juddmonte Farms, covered the mile in 1:34.37 and returned $11.40 to win.