Star Channel, Parranda turn FSM turf double for English Channel

Star Channel, Parranda turn FSM turf double for English

Channel

The stretch drive soon turned into fisticuffs, as Star Channel and Old Time

Hockey repeatedly bumped and barged into each other. Old Time Hockey

counterpunched on the rail, and appeared to force his nose in front, only to

lose the head-bob on the wire.

The stewards wasted no time in posting the inquiry sign, and Old Time

Hockey's rider, Hall of Famer Gary Stevens, claimed foul against Lezcano aboard

Star Channel. Upon review, however, the stewards did not judge it necessary to

reverse the order, and Star Channel avoided the penalty box.

After negotiating 1 1/8 firm-turf miles in 1:47 3/5, Star Channel rewarded

his loyalists with a $19.20 win mutuel.

"He broke really good," Lezcano said. "He tried hard the whole way and never

quit. In the stretch, he (Stevens on Old Time Hockey) touched my horse first. I

know it looked like we touched him first, but really he was coming out. It was

my first time riding him, but I watched a few of his replays. Eddie (Kenneally) didn't give me any instructions."

Kenneally admitted that the inquiry was nerve-wracking.

"Nervous? Yeah, that was close," Kenneally said. "There was not much between

the photo, and the fact that there was a lot of contact, plenty of contact when

I saw it on the head-on. I wasn't sure what way it was going to go. I don't know

who was causing the bumping but it looked like it was going to go 50-50, and

thankfully it came our way.

"He showed up and ran a big race, absolutely. The distance is exactly what he

wants to do. That's how he likes to run, and he had a big day."

Bad Debt checked in another half-length adrift in third, reprising his bronze

medal from the 2012 Turf, and improving upon his fourth from a year ago. Next

came Blameshifter, Spring Up, Hobbs, Tiz Gianni, Racing Aptitude, Bim Bam and

the eased Tune Me In.

Star Channel's scorecard now stands at 21-7-1-2, $394,855. Originally trained

by Todd Pletcher, the bay captured the 2012 Florida Cup Sophomore Turf and

placed in that season's London Company at Belmont and the Restoration at

Monmouth. Star Channel was a close second to Hobbs in last year's Florida Cup

Turf Classic, but was unplaced in his remaining stakes attempts in the Monmouth

Stakes, John's Call, Sword Dancer Invitational and the Idle Rich. Those last

three came for trainer John Toscano Jr., who had claimed him for $62,500 out of

a July 6 win at Belmont.

Dropped back in for a $62,500 tag at Belmont on September 20, he won smartly

and was haltered by his present owner. Star Channel made one start for Gerry

Carwood in that aforementioned allowance at Churchill, and is due to return to

his care.

"Gerry Carwood is the trainer of this horse," Kenneally said, "and I took him

for the winter. He'll go back with Jerry in the spring. We'll just play it by

ear, chat with the owner and see what they want to do next."

Bred by Mr. and Mrs. Samuel H. Rogers Jr. in Florida, Star Channel sold for

$70,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. A half-brother to Grade 3 heroine

Changing World and to the multiple stakes-placed Our Exploit, he was later

offered as a two-year-old in training at Fasig-Tipton Florida, but RNA'd for

$175,000. Star Channel is out of Grade 3 queen Reach the Top, a daughter of

Cozzene, who is a full sister to multiple Grade 3 scorer Grab the Green.

Opening up rapidly by three lengths, Parranda maintained that margin all the

way to the line and paid $7.60 to win. Her third career stakes coup improved her

line to 19-7-2-2, $358,655. Five of those wins, and all of her stakes scores,

have come at Gulfstream.

"I had a very good trip," Lezcano recapped. "She broke perfect, like never

before. I let her sit and relax in fourth and at the half-mile I let her move a

little early because I didn't want to leave her too much to do. When I really

asked her, she just took off and won the race."

"It was excellent," said Garcia, who had been mildly critical of the

ride Gabriel Saez had given Parranda in the My Charmer. "He (Lezcano) did everything right. She finished

great. As of late, she wants to be closer. She used to (come from) way off the

pace. She likes to be on the outside. He waited until he could go

to the outside, and from there I knew she was going to close like she did. We

got an A-effort ride, and a perfect win."

The 24-1 E B Ryder rallied from last for second, edging Nicki Starshine, the

58-1 longest shot on the board, by a nose. Silsita faded to fourth, followed by

Wishing Gate, Creative License, Millennia and Sharapova Slams.

Bred by Kinsman Farm in the Sunshine State, Parranda went to her current

connections for $13,000 as a two-year-old in training at OBS April. She is the

first registered foal from the winning Rahy mare Dynamic Feature, who is herself

a half-sister to Canadian Grade 3 victress Sisterly Love. Parranda's second dam,

Odylic, is a full sister to Grade 1-winning sire Dixie Brass.

"We're going to consider our options," Garcia said of future plans. "We have a couple of races here at

Gulfstream and we'll consider them. We'll give her four or five weeks' rest

before we go into the next one."

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