English Channel's back
 

Horse name English Channel
Notes
Activity type Entry
Activity date 02-22-2007
Track Gulfstream Park
Surface Turf
Distance 1 1/8 Miles
Race number 7
Purse $57,500
Race type Allowance
Post position 6
Jockey Velazquez J R

Looks like a pretty solid field...but if he runs anywhere near where the rest of Pletcher's horses have been running then he should be fine.

He's running here instead of the Grade 1 turf race at GP on Sat???

They must really want to ease him into things...

There will be a Kev posting any minute now.....

Like a shark smelling blood.

He's been off for way to long to jump right into a Grade 1...he's got a long season ahead of him which should lead to the Million and another try at the Turf. Besides this race is much tougher than some Grade 1's.

Kev,

Our girl is set to make her 07 debut in the Rampart at Gulfstream too....March 11th I believe.

The Grade 1 will be a joke and be easier than most allowances. Einstein and Dreadnaught? What's there to scare him off?

You know I saw that after I posted. Maybe they'll wait for the entries and scratch. It looks like the allowance may actually be tougher than the Grade 1.

Besides this race is much tougher than some Grade 1's.

I cant agree with that. I dont think this field is good at all. Maybe for a 57K allowance its good but Einstein and Dreadnaught are both far better horses than anything in this lineup (besides EC). EC wins this race at 75% of himself.

Gulfstream Park - February 22nd, 2007 - Race 7
Estimated Local Post Time: 3:54 PM
Race Type: Allowance
Breed: Thoroughbred
Age Restriction: Four Year Old and Upward
Purse: $57,500
Distance:One And One Eighth Miles
Surface: Turf
Post Horse Name Age Sex Weight Jockey Name
1 M B Sea (KY) 8 Horse 118 Mark Guidry
2 Mending Fences (KY) 5 Horse 118 Eddie Castro
3 Golden Commander (NY) 7 Gelding 118 Rene R. Douglas
4 Palladio (FL) 5 Horse 118 Edgar S. Prado
5 Request for Parole (KY) 8 Horse 118 Javier Castellano
6 English Channel (KY) 5 Horse 118 John R. Velazquez
7 Sabre Baby (FL) 6 Gelding 118 Rafael Bejarano
8 Putonyerdancinshuz (PA) 4 Gelding 118 Kent J. Desormeaux
9 Croton Road (KY) 4 Colt 122 Eduardo O. Nunez
10 Gun Salute (KY) 5 Horse 118 Cornelio H. Velasquez

That's really the only way this makes sense though. If they want the extra week rest going into Dubai and want to keep him shorter to prep for it then I can understand why they would do this. Otherwise it is mindboggling when there is an easier G1 next week.

An easier Grade 1 than this?
Exactly who in this field is any good? I think this is as soft as it gets.

the dubai races look very very deep. you need a type who can race up with the pace, a la tin man, collier hill etc.. thats the place to be in Dubai. EC isnt that type is he?

Yes, EC has pretty decent tactical speed and wins a lot of races by creating perfect trips for himself.

thats certainly a help. somehow though, i cant see him winning either the 9f or 12f turf race! he looks very exposed to me!

Honey Ryder can win that Grade 1 race next week.

English Channel is a very aggressive type and doesn't always settle well early on, he's not the kind of horse you'd want to bring back at a 1 3/8 mile distance, off that long of a layoff.

I believe that if Pletcher was to enter his filly Honey Ryder in that Grade 1 race, she would be the post time favorite. That's how soft a group it is for the Grade 1 level.

Heck, the ultra moderate Ramazutti will be a factor in there. Dreadnaught was not nominated for the race. Einstein is the defending champion, but he was off the board in an alw race at a mile, and is hardly a bigtime horse to fear

That's surprising. He runs second wherever he goes and they won't find an easier G1 for the rest of his career.

This allowance field is the pitts. Mending Fences, Request for Parole, MB Sea. These are real plodders. Soft as a cotton ball.

I think Dreadnaught and Ramazutti are pretty good horses, better than anything in here.