Joe Hirsch Turf Classic

Winner of the 2018 GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational S., Channel Maker (English Channel) made amends for a close second in last year's renewal with a front-running score in the 2020 edition Saturday at Belmont. Taking up his preferred position at the head of affairs, the chestnut clicked off splits of :22.89, :49.44 and 1:14.45. Still in front turning for home, the hard-knocking gelding kept on finding in the lane, rolling clear to victory. "We would have wanted to envision it working out this way and it worked out,"...

Seemingly written off last time out as a declining 8-year-old gelding, Channel Maker (English Channel) caught everyone napping with a dominant wire-to-wire score in the GI Sword Dancer S. over soft turf. Saturday, the chestnut will return to the scene of his previous two Grade I triumphs in the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational S. at Belmont. Capturing the 2018 Turf Classic in similar fashion--wire to wire over soft turf--Channel Maker was out of the trifecta in his next three tries, but rebounded with a determined victory in the...