Chelsea Durand Photo

Channel Maker in good order following Man o' War score

by NYRA Press Office

• Thomas hoping for productive campaign with Catholic Boy and Diversify
• Heavenhasmynikki could return to Belmont for next start
• Brown impressed with Homerique; eyes stakes assignments for turf contingent
• Belmont Stakes, Dwyer among possibilities for Global Campaign's next start after impressive G3 Peter Pan victory
• Peter Pan runner-up Sir Winston points to G1 Belmont Stakes
• Arklow possible for more graded stakes action at Belmont
• NYTHA announces the launch of non-profit Empire Racing Club
• Cross Country Pick 5 returns $869.50

Channel Maker earned a 106 Beyer Speed Figure for his winning effort in Saturday's Grade 1, $700,000 Man o' War at Belmont Park.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott for owners Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Gary Barber, R.A. Hill Stable and Wachtel Stable, it was the third graded stakes win and second Grade 1 to go along with his front-running score in last year's Joe Hirsch Turf Classic.

Assistant trainer Leana Willaford said the 5-year-old English Channel gelding was in good order on a rainy Sunday morning at Belmont.

"He's great. He jogged sound on the shank and cleaned up his dinner last night, so everything looks good," said Willaford.

Channel Maker was making his third start of the campaign after finishing off the board in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida and the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational.

Willaford said she was expecting a big effort from the classy chestnut.

"He ran excellent. The horse has been doing quite well. He looks good, he was working good and we expected a big effort from him," said Willaford. "Sometimes, it takes them a little bit to get under way. We're really happy with him."

Bred in Ontario by Ivan Dalos' Tall Oaks Farm, Channel Maker is out of the stakes-winning dam In Return, a Sovereign Award-winning broodmare who also produced multiple Grade 1-winning Canadian-bred turf champion Johnny Bear.

Channel Maker competed in two-thirds on the Canadian Triple Crown at Woodbine in 2017 finishing fourth in the Queen's Plate ahead of a narrow nose win in the 1 1/12-mile turf Breeders'.

Blossoming with age, Channel Maker has increased his annual earnings in successive seasons having banked $105,037 as a 2-year-old; $340,047 as a 3-year-old; $644,880 as a 4-year-old; and has already garnered $827,108 early into his 5-year-old campaign.

He is expected to make his next start in the Grade 1, $1 million Woodford Reserve Manhattan on Belmont Stakes Day, June 8.

The busy Mott barn was led by three potential Kentucky Derby hopefuls early in 2019 including Tacitus, winner of the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by NYRA Bets; Country House, the eventual Derby winner who showed promise with a good second in the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds; and Hidden Scroll, an impressive maiden winner who finished fourth in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth.

Country House is off the Triple Crown trail after reportedly developing a cough following the Derby and is eyeing a summer campaign. Tacitus, who finished third in the Derby, is training towards the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont at Mott's Saratoga base and Willaford said Hidden Scroll, third in an allowance tilt on Kentucky Oaks Day at Churchill Downs, could try the turf next.

Hidden Scroll's second dam, Starformer, is a Juddmonte Farms homebred trained by Mott, who won four graded stakes events going a distance of ground on the turf.

"I think you might see him make a surface change. We'd like to try the grass with him. We just have to find the right distance and surface. He ran so well first time out on a sloppy and sealed track at Gulfstream," said Willaford.

*      *     *

Thomas hoping for productive campaign with Catholic Boy and Diversify

With only one start through the first two weeks of the Belmont spring/summer meet, trainer Jonathan Thomas will look to increase his productivity in the coming weeks with multiple Grade 1-winners Diversify and Catholic Boy preparing to return to action with several other stakes contenders in tow as well.

Diversify, the 2018 New York-bred Horse of the Year, was previously conditioned by late trainer Rick Violette, and his assistant Melissa Cohen, who recently joined Thomas' barn to head his New York division.

Diversify, who won three of five starts last year including graded stakes wins in the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga Race Course and the Grade 2 Suburban at Belmont, visited the Belmont training track on Saturday morning, breezing three furlongs in 37 seconds flat with exercise rider Georgee Givovich aboard.

It was the first breeze of the year for Diversify and Thomas said he was pleased with what he saw.

"I was really surprised," said Thomas. "He's a quiet horse galloping in the morning and I thought he'd maybe need a little slow three-eighths [work] and he ended up breezing in 37 [seconds], very well on the muscle. He came back to the barn and cooled out quickly.

"I thought maybe we were off schedule just because it took us a while to get him going," continued Thomas. "But from what I saw today I think we're, if not on schedule, maybe even head of schedule."

Owned by Ralph and Lauren Evans, Thomas said the 6-year-old gelded son of Bellamy Road would target a start sometime before the spring/summer meet concludes at Belmont heading into Saratoga.

"I'd love to get a start into him here before Saratoga," said Thomas. "Rick did a tremendous job with this horse and we're the beneficiaries of Rick and Melissa's hard work. We're just honored to have him and hopefully we can continue his good work."

Catholic Boy, who last year earned a pair of Grade 1 wins on both the turf and dirt in his 3-year-old campaign, is nearing his way to a potential return.

Last year, Catholic Boy triumphed on the dirt in the Runhappy Travers and on the green in the Belmont Derby. He worked five furlongs in 1:02.19 on Saturday with Hall of Famer Javier Castellano aboard on the inner turf in company with stablemate Osare.

Afterwards, Thomas said a start next Saturday in the Grade 2 Dixie at Pimlico Race Course remains under consideration for Catholic Boy to make his 2019 debut as well as long term goals to target the Grade 2, $700,000 Suburban at Belmont on July 6 as well as the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney Handicap on August 3 and Grade 1, $750,000 Woodward on August 31 at Saratoga.

"The Dixie is possibly a soft target. We're going to talk to the owners and our other partners about some other options. We could, off of that, from what I saw today possibly be ready for the Dixie. We'll know in a couple of days," said Thomas. "We'd love to target races like the Suburban and even the Whitney or Woodward would be massive targets. The fact that he's been productive as a 2-year-old and 3-year-old in Saratoga, to do something nice up there this summer would be great."

Speaking on Osare, a 4-year-old stakes winning filly by Medaglia D' Oro and half to multiple graded stakes winner Arrogate, Thomas said he was excited for her to make her first start of the year after closing out her 3-year-old campaign with a victory in the Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs.

Thomas said the Searching Stakes on May 18 at Pimlico is a possible target.

"I was really pleased with her," said Thomas. "They're both targeting the same weekend and both coming off of big breaks. They coincided form a training schedule perspective. While I thought he was maybe getting the better of her on the dirt the past two weeks, I thought she more than held her own on the turf today. She breezed really well.

"There's the Searching at Pimlico going a mile and a half and there's an allowance race here at Belmont on Sunday," added Thomas. "We'll look at both spots and see which makes the most sense and then target, we'll see what happens."

Thomas confirmed 3-year-old filly Entirely,who ran third in last year's Grade 3 Matron for Augustin Stable, would most likely target a start in next Sunday's $100,000 Soaring Softly after breezing four furlongs in 47.88 seconds in company with Xenobia on the inner turf.

"I thought she went nicely," said Thomas. "She breezed with an older filly called Xenobia and they breezed really well. They came home in 23 [seconds] and change and galloped out well. I thought she had a really solid breeze and did everything nicely. We're on target for the Soaring Softly with her."

*      *     *

Heavenhasmynikki could return to Belmont for next start

A return to Belmont Park is in play for Heavenhasmynikki according to trainer Bob Hess, who saddled the daughter of Majestic Warrior to a front-running victory in the Grade 3 Vagrancy on Saturday afternoon.

Owned by Ron Paolucci Racing, the Ohio-bred chestnut filly scored her first graded stakes triumph in Saturday's 6 ½ furlong test over the main track. She was previously a two-time stakes winner in her native state against fellow Ohio-bred fillies.

Hess said Heavenhasmynikki could likely target the Grade 3, $250,000 Bed o' Roses on June 7 or the Grade 1, $700,000 Ogden Phipps the following day.

"We'll sit down with Ron and work her at Keeneland a couple of more times but I think both of those races are in play," Hess said. "Once she broke sharply it unfolded the way that I thought it was supposed to. The pace may have been a little slower than I thought."

Hess also stated that the Grade 2, $250,000 Princess Rooney on June 29 at Gulfstream Park is an option.

Bred by Langsem Farm, Heavenhasmynikki is out of the Forest Wildcat broodmare Floral Park, who also produced stakes winner Dougs Buddy and Floral Sky. She was purchased by Paolucci for $150,000 from the Fasig-Tipton October Sale in 2017. She has won 7 of 14 career starts.

*      *     *

Brown impressed with Homerique; eyes stakes assignments for turf contingent

Following an impressive North American debut in which 4-year-old Homerique closed authoritatively after trailing in last to best a field of six to win Saturday's Grade 3 Beaugay by a half-length, trainer Chad Brown reported she returned out of the race in good order, as did second-place finisher and stablemate Competitionofideas.

"That was really an impressive debut from Homerique and I thought they both ran great," said Brown. "They were really racing one-two down to the wire and they both made good runs with Homerique finishing on top."

Multiple graded stakes winner Separationofpowers, who made her 2019 debut finishing third in the Grade 3 Vagrancy won by Heavenhasmynikki, also returned from Saturday's race in good order, according to Brown.

"I'm not disappointed with her effort coming off the layoff," said Brown. "The winner ran well, and she should move forward here."

Rounding out the stakes action on Saturday for Brown was 5-year-old graded stakes winner Focus Group for owners Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence, who finished sixth in the Grade 1 Man o' War in making his first start since capturing the Grade 2 Pan American on March 30 at Gulfstream.

"We'll look to regroup from here and we'll look at a number of races as options," said Brown.

Hitting the work tab for Brown on the turf Saturday was 5-year-old multiple graded stakes winner Rymska for owners Madaket Stables, Tom Coleman, Team Hanley and Elayne Stables. Rymska breezed four furlongs in 50.65 on the inner turf working in company with e Five Racing Thoroughbred's multiple graded stakes winner Rushing Fall.

Brown said he is considering a number of options for both.

"They both worked well," said Brown. "The [Grade 1] Just a Game is certainly under consideration [for Rushing Fall] as well as the [Grade 1] Gamely [for Rymska] at Santa Anita."

Brown reported multiple graded stakes winner Newspaperofrecord continued to be in good order following her season debut finishing second in the Grade 3 Edgewood on May 3 at Churchill Downs, and listed the Grade 3, $200,000 Wonder Again on June 6 for a possible next start.

"She's continuing to do well out of that race," said Brown. "We'll take a look at the [Grade 3] Wonder Again as a possible next start under consideration."

*      *     *

Belmont Stakes; Dwyer among possibilities for Global Campaign's next start after impressive G3 Peter Pan victory

Sagamore Farm and WinStar Farm's Global Campaign is doing well following his 1 ¼-length win in Saturday's Grade 3, $300,000 Peter Pan for 3-year-olds, trainer Stanley Hough said Sunday morning.

Making just his fourth career start, the Curlin colt appeared to clip heels at one point during the Peter Pan, though his conditioner said Global Campaign shrugged off the light contact to finish strong, winning his first career graded stakes after running fifth in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth in his stakes debut last out on March 2 at Gulfstream Park.

"He came back good; he got jumped on a little bit from behind, probably out of the gate since I didn't see any other place where it could have been, but it's no problem. It just grabbed him a little bit but other than that, he came back great," Hough said. "He handled the distance and we're really proud of him."

Global Campaign earned a 101 Beyer Speed figure stretching out to 1 1/8 miles for the first time, posting a final time of 1:46.71 to top a five-horse field. The Peter Pan, a traditional local prep for the 1 ½-mile Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes, could set up the Kentucky-bred for a start in the "Test of the Champion" on June 8.

Hough also said Global Campaign could possibly look at the one-mile Grade 3, $250,000 Dwyer on Stars and Stripes Day July 6 at Belmont or even the Grade 3 Ohio Derby in June at Thistledown.

"He's a very talented horse and it was good to see him get that behind him," Hough said. "Everything is on the table. I wouldn't say which spot necessarily he should go. It could be the Belmont or the Dwyer or the Ohio Derby. There's a lot of options right now. He'll go back to Churchill, he'll leave tomorrow and get there Tuesday, and we'll take it a day at a time. Obviously, the Belmont would be a great thrill, I just can't say we're pointing towards that way."

Purchased for $250,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September Sale, Global Campaign won his debut on January 5 at Gulfstream after going unraced as juvenile. After defeating allowance company stretching out from seven furlongs to 1 1/16 miles on the same track in February, Global Campaign sustained a minor injury in a fifth-place finish in the Fountain of Youth on March 2, grabbing a quarter and was given some time off to recover.

Despite missing some training, Global Campaign handled the one-turn Peter Pan with aplomb, outkicking the Mark Casse-trained Sir Winston to win his first start outside of the Sunshine State.

Should Global Campaign run in the Belmont Stakes, it would give Hough his first career starter in the final leg of the Triple Crown. Hough's best finish in a Classic came in 1982 when Reinvested finished third in the Kentucky Derby.

"It would be great, no question. It'd be a real honor and something to cross off that list, but that's a race that you really need to work into," Hough said. "It's very difficult because that likely will be the last time they run a mile and a half on the dirt. It's a special race. People don't really know how hard it is even to get there. I've run a lot of horses and never ran one there."

Sagamore Farm's Recruiting Ready also endured an early bump but came out of his stakes in good order after running second to Firenze Fire in the six-furlong $150,000 Runhappy on Saturday.

Off as the slight favorite, Recruiting Ready, making his first Belmont start since running fifth in the Grade 2 True North in June, finished on the board for the fourth time in five starts, including a win in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint on March 2.

"He too stumbled at the gate for some reason and grabbed his quarter, it seems like that's happened to us lately, but he's fine and it heals pretty quick," Hough said. "He's a game horse. But Firenze Fire ran great. I think if he didn't stumble and grab himself he might have been a little closer, but he'd still be second. There wasn't any horse that was going to beat him yesterday."

Hough said he's not sure when the 5-year-old son of Algorithms will run next.

Hough is credited by Equibase with starting his trainer career in 1969, when he saddled 33 winners in 131 starts, and has amassed 2,177 career winners with 12,763 starters entering Sunday.

Hough retired in 2012 but returned in 2018, with Global Campaign and Recruiting Ready giving the 72-year-old Illinois native his first graded stakes wins since 2011. Hough had a streak of five straight years capturing the leading trainer title at Calder Race Course in Florida starting in 1976, earning induction into the track's hall of fame.

Hough has also mentored many future successful trainers, including Gary Contessa and Steve Margolis.

"It's great, I wouldn't have come back unless there some horses I could be involved in developing," Hough said. "It's been a fun time and it's been great working Sagamore Farm. There's a few more horses I'd like to see develop, and I might just retire again."

*      *     *

Peter Pan runner-up Sir Winston points to G1 Belmont Stakes

Tracy Farmer's Sir Winston will target the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont after a late-closing second in the Grade 3 Peter Pan behind Global Campaign, according to trainer Mark Casse.

The homebred son of Awesome Again was well off the pace in the Peter Pan and displayed an effective turn of foot in the final eighth of a mile, but was unable to catch the winner. The race was his first placing in a graded stakes event.

"He's a unique horse," Casse said. "He doesn't have a whole lot of speed and he's kind of at the mercy of everyone else in the race, but he'll run all day."

Sir Winston was on the road to the Kentucky Derby all season long but did not place in three starts on the Derby trail. Casse was impressed with his fifth-place effort in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby, but drew a line through his distant seventh in the Grade 2 Blue Grass at Keeneland, which was his last start before the Peter Pan.

"I thought he really exposed himself and showed that he was good in the Tampa Bay Derby," Casse said. "When he ran at Keeneland, the way the track was playing, no one that was close to the lead had a chance that day. No question he'll run a mile and a half."

Casse stated that Sir Winston will stay at Belmont Park with his string of horses supervised by assistant trainer Jamie Begg.

In other Belmont Stakes Racing Festival related news, Casse said that Got Stormy will point for the Grade 1 $700,000 Longines Just a Game after a runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile behind Rushing Fall.

Owned by Gary Barber and Southern Equine Partners, Got Stormy is a three-time stakes winner and began her 2019 campaign with an allowance victory over the turf at Gulfstream Park before finishing third behind Rushing Fall in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland.

"Last year, she was a nice horse," Casse said. "She kind of reminds me of what we did with [Two-time Eclipse Award winner] Tepin at the end of her three-year-old year. We took our time with her and gave her some time off and we ran her back at Gulfstream and she ran well."

Casse also said that Dream Maker, third-place finisher of the Grade 3 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs, will likely target the $150,000 Easy Goer on Belmont Stakes Day.

*      *     *

Arklow possible for more graded stakes action at Belmont

Following a game runner-up effort in the Grade 1 Man o' War, Arklow is possible to return for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, Donegal Racing owner Jerry Crawford said.

Trained by Brad Cox, the 5-year-old son of Arch is likely for the Grade 1, $1 million Manhattan on Belmont Stakes Day or the Grade 2, $400,000 Belmont Gold Cup the day prior.

"All of them are possible," Crawford said. "It seems like the longer the better for him. We thought he would win yesterday. It was a pretty fancy final fraction and he got a [career best] 105 Beyer which is a pretty strong number. He's such a neat horse. He always tells us when he's ready."

Prior to the Man o' War, Arklow was entered against allowance company at Keeneland where he unseated jockey Florent Geroux at the start of the race.

"He came in with no prep race," Crawford said. "We entered at Keeneland and it was just a bad situation at the start which might have made the difference."

Bred in Kentucky by John Penn and Frank Penn, Arklow is a two-time graded stakes winner. At age 3, he won the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill Downs and won the Grade 3 Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs the following year. He is out of the Empire Maker broodmare Unbridled Empire who also produced graded stakes winner Maraud.

*      *     *

NYTHA announces the launch of non-profit Empire Racing Club

The New York Thoroughbred Horseman's Association has established the Empire Racing Club, a non-profit organization whose purpose is to introduce fans to racehorse ownership.

Per NYTHA, the club will be limited to 200 members who each pay an all-in cost of $500 for the term. NYRA Bets is also partnering with the Empire Racing Club, offering a $200 wagering credit to members who sign up as new NYRA Bets account holders. Only individuals who have not previously held a NYRA Bets account will be eligible for the bonus.

Retired NYRA racecaller Tom Durkin will serve as the Empire Racing Club's managing partner, with Eclipse Award-winner Todd Pletcher serving as the conditioner for club-owned horses.

Proceeds from the Empire Racing Club will be used to pay for the horse's expenses, with any excess funds designated to the non-profit aftercare organization Take The Lead Thoroughbred Retirement Program.

Club members will receive regular updates about the stable's horses via conference call, email, social media and dedicated club events and race days.

For more information, visit www.nytha.com/welcometotheclub or email [email protected].

*      *     *

Cross Country Pick 5 returns $869.50

Saturday's Cross Country Pick 5 handled $69,280 with a sequence featuring stakes races from Belmont, Woodbine and Monmouth Park.

The wager kicked off with the $100,000 Ballade at Woodbine, won by 5-2 second-choice Summer Sunday ($7.80), before shifting to Belmont for a maiden turf allowance captured by class-dropping 6-5 favorite Varenka ($4.50).

Breaking Bread, the 9-5 second-choice, got the dough in the $75,000 Serena's Song returning $5.90 for a $2 win bet.

The action return to Belmont for the final two legs with 9-5 second-choice Firenze Fire ($5.80) romping to victory in the $150,000 Runhappy.

Channel Maker, chilly on the toteboard as the 6-1 fifth choice in a field of nine for the Man o' War, sweetened the pot with a narrow neck score returning a healthy $15.60.

The winning sequence returned $869.50 for $0.50.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents and features a 15 percent takeout. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on track, on ADW platforms, and at simulcast facilities across the country. There will be a mandatory payout of the entire pool.

For more info on the Cross Country Pick 5, please visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/cross-country-wagers.