Channel Maker made a big, wide move on the far turn and held on desperately late to capture the Breeders S. at Woodbine, the third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. Winner of the restricted Vandal S. here last summer, the chestnut had gone winless in seven subsequent starts while placing in the GII Summer S. and GIII Marine S. Last seen finishing fourth in the Queen’s Plate July 2, Channel Maker took the bulk of public support in this spot and was wrangled back to run second-last as the leaders sauntered through splits of :26.88, :52.32 and 1:17.31. Launching a slingshot, five-wide bid nearing the top of the lane, the favorite overtook second choice Final Copy just inside the eighth pole, but that one was resilient, and the two battled to the line with Channel Maker just besting his rival by a head. King and His Court, represented by two thirds of the winner’s ownership, completed the trifecta. An inquiry and several objections were lodged into the actions of the first two horses, but no change was made. The win is the first in this event for trainer Bill Mott.

Down the lane, he was just laying over a little bit when he switched to the lead and didn’t bother anybody as the inquiry showed, said winning rider Rafael Hernandez. AI think he=s a good horse, he=s been showing up every time he’s been running and we won so that’s good. [Final Copy] started coming back, I had a head in front of him and then we’d get head-to-head and he tried to come back right there in the end, but my horse kept going.

After his fourth-place effort in the Queen=s Plate, connections decided Channel Maker’s future was on the grass. He kind of made a move like he was going to go win the race and then he just stopped a little bit and came back again, Hernandez said of his trip in the first Triple Crown leg. That’s why [co-owner] Joey [Gee] said we’re going to put him on the grass, he’s always been better on the grass and we waited for this race and he prepared for this race and he showed up today. It’s great.

Pedigree Notes: Ivan Dalos’s Tall Oaks Farm purchased In Return, in foal to Proud Citizen, for $32,000 at the 2009 Keeneland November Sale. She produced a filly by Court Vision in 2016. Dalos was represented in the Breeders S. in 2014 by his homebred Ami’s Holiday (Harlan’s Holiday).