Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) hero ENGLISH CHANNEL (Smart Strike) will stand for
$25,000 in 2008 at Hurricane Hall near Lexington, Kentucky.
“English Channel is retiring perfectly sound,” Hurricane Hall President Ben
Walden Jr. said. “What a privilege it is to offer breeders absolute soundness
and a horse as physically correct as English Channel is. He is a world-class
athlete.”
English Channel rolled to a record seven-length victory in Saturday’s
Breeders’ Cup Turf. The five-year-old, a leading contender for champion turf
horse of 2007, will head to the breeding shed with a record of 23-13-4-1. The
chestnut earned $5,319,028 for owner James Scatuorchio and trainer Todd Pletcher.
This season, English Channel won both the United Nations S. (G1) and the Joe
Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational S. (G1) for the second consecutive year. He set
a new course record at Gulfstream Park and a new course record in the United
Nations.
In addition, English Channel won the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic S. (G1),
Virginia Derby (G3) and three other black-type events. He placed in five Grade
1 races, including the Sword Dancer Invitational S. (G1), Manhattan H. (G1),
Secretariat S. (G1) and last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf.
English Channel is a full brother to 2007 Lane’s End S. (G2) runner-up
Sedgefield. He is out of the unraced Theatrical (Ire) mare Belva, a full sister
to Grade 1 winner Pharma and multiple Grade 2 winner Hap. His second dam is
multiple champion and Group 1 heroine Committed (Hagley).