Corinthian, English Channel Retire
Two Stellar Breeders' Cup Victors End Careers on Winning Notes
Coming off of victories in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and the Turf, respectively, last month, Corinthian and English Channel will retire to quiet lives off the track.
Corinthian, trained by James Jerkens, and English Channel, a Todd Pletcher schoolee, both ended their track careers with victories in the Breeders' Cup championships in October. Corinthian ran down the favorite by 6-1/2 lengths in the Dirt Mile, while English Channel won in total command by 7 lengths in the Turf.
Breeding Rights of Two Stars Settled
An original $50,000 purchase, English Channel has now won $5,319,028 from 13 wins in 23 career starts for owner James Scatuorchio. English Channel is a Smart Strike horse, foaled by the Theatrical (IRE) mare Belva.
In the week before the Breeders' Cup, Scatuorchio successfully negotiated his champion's stud services of $25,000 with Kentucky's Hurricane Hall. Offers for the Turf victor's services increased significantly after English Channel triumphed in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational at Belmont Park this season, Scatuorchio said.
Corinthian's owners have arranged for their star to stand at Gainesway Farm, Kentucky in 2008 for $40,000. Corinthian, sired by Pulpit out of the Easy Goer mare Multiply, won six times from 12 starts, earning $1,267,273.
Turf and Track Conditions Poor During BC
Trainer Pletcher had been worried about the soggy condition of the turf course at Monmouth Park, where the Breeders' Cup races were held Oct. 26th and 27th.
English Channel traveled the rain-soaked turf worry-free and close to the fence around all three turns in the 1-1/2 miles Turf championship. Rider John Velazquez said the ground-saving rail trip worked perfectly, as English Channel was ready for a winning move when called upon.
English Channel took the lead at the stretch and flew away from his seven rivals, easily beating French champion Dylan Thomas, the favorite, who finished fifth, and 2006's BC Turf champ, Red Rocks, who ran third. Shamdinan was a distant second.
Corinthian's victory in the muddy Dirt Mile was equally impressive, as he pounded the local champ, Gottcha Gold, and favorite Discreet Cat in the one mile and 70-yards event with lengths to spare.
Corinthian's Win a Comeback
After winning Belmont Park's Metropolitan Mile in May, Corinthian had lost twice, but he rebounded in top form to take the BC Dirt Mile. Jockey Kent Desormeaux found himself and his mount glued side to side with eight other runners fifty yards from the starting gate, and chose to pull his charge up to follow the fence. They moved along the rail alone until the time was right, when Corinthian could kick to his winning advantage.
Jerkens was thrilled with Corinthian's effort. His horse had been training "great", he said, but he was a tad concerned about the results of his two previous races. The win was Jerkens second Mile victory. Artie Schiller won for him in the 2005 Breeders' Cup.
English Channel Could Take Year's Turf Eclipse Award
Scatuorchio and Pletcher are hopeful that English Channel's last hurrah was good enough for the five-year-old to take the season's Eclipse Award in the male turf champion voting. Had English Channel not won at Monmouth, Pletcher's likely game plan was to enter the chestnut in the Dec. 8th Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes to boost his Eclipse Award chances.
