Bringing Career Earnings to a Whopping $3,890,358, 9-Year-Old Gelding Dominates Equestrian Event Despite Major Mishap

When it comes to horse racing, young blood is what people are after. Horse trainers and owners spend thousands and millions of dollars to ensure they have the next best young thoroughbred on their team. However, a 9-year-old gelding recently stormed to victory at an equestrian event. In doing so, the four-legged wonder proved that age has not caught up to him at all. The veteran Channel Maker left his competitors in the dust in the 1 3/8-mile event by winning it with 2 lengths.

As a result of his victory in the Grade 2 $250,000 Bowling Green, the horse won a purse of $137,500 bringing his career earnings to a total of $3,890,358. The win was a surprising one and came despite another horse being the overwhelming crowd favorite. However, an accident took the other horse out of the equestrian event, thus giving free rein to Channel Maker to take his place. And that is exactly what he did.

Old horse beats all odds to dominate equestrian race

The $250,000 Bowling Green Stakes (G2) is an inner turf test for older horses which was expected to be conquered by Rebel’s Romance. The horse, the winner of the Grade 1 Godolphin’s 2022 Breeders’ Cup Turf, was leading by a heavy 1-2. However, in an astonishing turn of events, Rebel’s Romance clipped his toes and as a consequence, his jockey was thrown off his back. Richard Mullen, the rider seemed to be doing fine but was taken to Albany Medical Center as a precaution.

Nonetheless, legendary equestrian and Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott got an amazing win with the help of the 2020 Eclipse Award winner, making a special memory during the 40-day Saratoga Race Course meet. Adam Watchel, a part of the equestrian group that owns the 9-year-old gelding, was elated due to the win. According to BloodHorse, he said, “He’s something special. Maybe I’ve had some more talented horses, but he’s the best horse I’ve ever owned. Think about it. A stakes winner at 2,3,4 and now 9.” This being the horse’s first win since July 2022, several questions were raised against the capabilities of the 9-year-old horse.

Read more: 4-Year-Old Filly With More Than $2,000,000 in Career Earnings Stuns Equestrian Community After Storming to Victory in G2 Saratoga Race

Some even asked, “Why don’t you retire him already?” However, by getting this one, the equestrian wonder has proved all the naysayers wrong. According to Mott, the horse is as happy to be on the track at the age of 9, as he was when he was a 3-year-young thoroughbred. The race was reduced to five furlongs to the wire and the second crow favorite was also eliminated in the incident that took place on the final turn. This gave Channel Maker the push to win with a time of 2:15.21. Just like all his other wins, the 9-year-old delivered at this equestrian race.

A history of exciting wins

The son of the turf champion English Channel, the 9-year-old became the fifth champion to win at Saratoga this week. Channel Maker won the Grand Couturier at Belmont Park last year and came in sixth in the Man o’ War, a Grade 1 race, in May. In 2018, during his final race before the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf, he cruised to victory in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes, a Grade 1, $500,000 race. In 2022, the 9-year-old gelding won the Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland, a Grade 2 race.

He set a new stakes record after clocking in a time of 2:27.10, although, missed the track record by 0.20 seconds. Currently, during his 9-year-old campaign, Manny Franco rode Channel Maker to the finish line to score a win at Saratoga, and a memorable one at that. The horse’s 10th career victory was the last one in New York, as 10-year-olds are not allowed to race the track. One can say, Channel Maker closed the track with a bang.

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