Spooky Channel prevails in Wildcat Handicap

PHOENIX – Spooky Channel had to work to get the job done, but get it done he did. The 4-year-old son of turf champion English Channel validated his even-money odds by capturing Saturday’s $30,000 Wildcat Handicap at Turf Paradise.

Spooky Channel ($4.20), the 125-pound highweight coming off a big optional claiming win on this course March 2, stalked early in the 1 3/8-mile grass event as Yo Y Me set a modest pace. The eventual winner remained in stalking mode under Denny Velazquez to the far turn, came with a wide run to challenge for the lead, pitched wider still into the lane, battled hard with Stratton, and finally prevailed by a neck over that rival.

Stratton pressed the pace and stayed on gamely for second while Yo Y Me was third in the field of eight.

Spooky Channel, owned by Terry Hamilton and trained by Clay Brinson, ran the distance in 2:16.61. The winner’s share of $18,042 gives him earnings of $69,076 from five wins in seven starts.

This stamps him as the horse to beat come the $30,000 Hasta La Vista at 1 7/8 miles here on May 5, the traditional closing-day feature.

Loud N Proud takes Arizona Stallion Stakes

Loud N Proud ($2.40) proved best in the $30,645 Arizona Stallion Stakes earlier on the card here Saturday as the heavy 1-5 favorite – but it wasn’t easy.

Under Francisco Arrieta, the 3-year-old gelded son of Margie’s Wildcat dogged early pacesetter Hit the Deck in the one-mile dirt event for 3-year-olds conceived by a nominated stallion in Arizona in 2016. Loud N Proud continued to hound that foe through slow splits, put his head in front on the turn as that rival gave way, and looked on his way to an easy tally when starting to edge away into the lane. There, he was confronted by his talented stablemate, the filly Let Me Fly, to his outside and he battled gamely to the line to prevail by a neck. The final time was 1:40.19.

Let Me Fly stalked in fourth and came with a steady run in the lane to just miss, while Linemans Check ran on for third in the field of six.

The winner is owned in partnership by trainer Kevin Eikleberry, Marvin Fleming, J. Lloyd Yother, and William Gessmann. The $17,025 he earned for Saturday's victory boosts his bankroll to $103,351 from four wins in seven starts.