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English Channel scores in Joe Hirsch James T. Scatuorchio's ENGLISH CHANNEL (Smart Strike) rated behind the early pace set by stablemate Icy Atlantic (Stormy Atlantic) during Saturday's $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational S. (G1) at Belmont Park before coming three wide in the stretch and drawing clear to record the easy 4 1/2-length win under John Velazquez. The Todd Pletcher trainee, sent off the 3-5 favorite, finished 1 1/2 miles on the firm turf in 2:28 3/5 to pay $3.30, $2.10 and $2.10. Icy Atlantic did his job well, bounding to the front and leading the field through splits of :25 2/5, :51 1/5, 1:16 1/5 and 1:39 4/5 all the while pursued by Dreadnaught (Lac Ouimet). English Channel, in the meantime, was traveling well while racing three wide, and continued in that same spot into the stretch. Quickly overtaking his barnmate, the four-year-old lengthened his stride with each step, pulling off to record his fourth win from six starts this year and avenging his head second in this event last year. "He made it look a little more difficult than it was, but he went on and looked really good," Velazquez explained. "There was just no pace in there. I was hoping (Icy Atlantic) would open up on them for me. I didn't want to get too close to him. From the quarter-pole home, it was real easy. He proved today that he can get 12 furlongs." Freedonia (GB) (Selkirk) split horses after running in midpack to just get her neck down for the place, returning $3.40 and $2.50 at 3-1 while ending the $9.40 exacta. Royal Highness (Ger) (Monsun) came from last to get third by a head over Interpatation (Langfuhr), paying $3 at 10-1 and finishing the $25.20 trifecta (1-3-6). Completing the order under the line were Frost Giant (Giant's Causeway), Dreadnaught and Icy Atlantic. English Channel adds this win to scores in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (G1), United Nations (G1) and Canadian Turf H. this year. Last year, the chestnut captured the Virginia Derby (G3), Colonial Turf Cup S. and Woodlawn S. and ran second in the Secretariat S. (G1). He now boasts a 15-9-2-0 record with $2,379,028 in lifetime earnings. "This was a dominating performance for English Channel. He settled in beautifully and really responded," Pletcher said. "These are the important races. These are the days that you want to do well. This horse has a heavy argument for being champion turf horse. His record stacks up with anyone's in the division." Bred in Kentucky by Keene Ridge Farm, English Channel was a real bargain for his owner, who only had to pay $50,000 for his colt at the 2003 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The first registered foal out of the unraced Belva (Theatrical [Ire]), English Channel has an unraced juvenile full brother named Sedgefield, an unnamed yearling half-sister by Street Cry (Ire) and an unnamed 2006 half-sister by Aldebaran.
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