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Pimlico-Loving Skyring Posts 24-1 Dixie Upset

Calumet Farm's Skyring, winless in 11 starts since a victory at Pimlico Race Course last May, found the winner's circle again at the Maryland track in the Longines Dixie Stakes (gr. IIT).

McGaughey Stable Feeling Energized

While Shug McGaughey prepares his usual strong string of horses at the Keeneland spring meeting, more than a few of his thoughts are occupied by the stable's big 3-year-old Orb.

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Optimizer Handles Soft Fair Grounds 'Cap Lawn

Optimizer hopped at the break of the $150,000 Fair Grounds Handicap (gr. IIIT) but drew clear in the end, earning his second straight victory over the turf at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Feb. 23.

Channel Lady Flows in Suwannee River

Channel Lady led every step of the way and quickened late to hold off Abaco and score her first graded victory in the Suwannee River Stakes at Gulfstream Park Feb. 9.

Optimizer Wins E.R. Bradley for Red-Hot Lukas

Optimizer went wire-to-wire in the $125,000 Col. E.R. Bradley Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Jan. 26 for red-hot Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, who has won three stakes races in eight days.

Lukas Could Continue Streak in E.R. Bradley

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas looks to continue his hot streak in the $125,000 Col. E.R. Bradley Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, sending out Optimizer in the Jan. 26 turf test for older males.

English Channel's Full Brother to Crestwood

Channeled, an unraced full brother to grass champion English Channel, will enter stud in 2013 at Pope McLean's Crestwood Farm near Lexington.

Smart Strike's Fee Remains at $85,000 in 2013

Lane's End stallion Smart Strike, a two-time leading sire, will stand in 2013 for $85,000, the same fee he stood for in 2012.

Lukas Optimistic About Optimizer

Son of grass champion English Channel heads into BC Turf with two straight grass wins.

Optimizer Continues Climb With Kent Score

Bluegrass Hall's homebred Optimizer continued his climb through conditions on the turf with a powerful 4 1/4-length win in the $200,625 Kent Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Delaware Park Sept. 22, earning his first graded stakes score.

F-T Texas Yearling Sale Debuts Evening Format

The Aug. 27 Fasig-Tipton Texas yearling sale, to start at 4 p.m., offers a 170-lot catalog that includes 47 Texas-breds, 27 Oklahoma-breds, and 65 Louisiana-breds.

Strait of Dover Navigates Canada's Classics

MAHUBAH'S CORNER
Now the winner of four consecutive races, Strait of Dover not only went gate to wire to defeat Irish Mission but set a new Woodbine track record of 2:01.99 for the Polytrack surface.

Steady Blueskiesnrainbows Wires Swaps Stakes

There weren't a lot of fireworks in the $150,000 Swaps Stakes (gr. II) as Blueskiesnrainbows dictated an even tempo and held on gamely for his first stakes victory in the Independence Day feature at Betfair Hollywood Park.

Strait of Dover Streaks to Queen's Plate Win

The result hardly seemed in doubt as Strait of Dover led from the outset en route to capturing the prestigious 153rd Queen's Plate in track-record time June 24 at Woodbine.

Strait of Dover Sailing into Queen's Plate

Strait of Dover, whose career has taken off since arriving in trainer Daniel Vella's barn at Woodbine, emerged as an early Queen's Plate favorite with his 6 1/2-length romp in the $156,206 Marine Stakes May 12.

Lukas Still Hoping Optimizer Can Draw In

After watching Optimizer work at Churchill Downs April 29, trainer D. Wayne Lukas expressed confidence in the colt's potential in the May 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).

With Anticipation Has 'English' Flair

Thursday's With Anticipation Stakes (gr. IIT) features a pair of 2-year-olds from the first crop of turf champion English Channel.

First Winner for Champion English Channel

Grass champion English Channel came through with his first winner from his first crop when his 2-year-old daughter Ann of the Dance won at Arlington Park June 18 at first asking.

Winner's Circle - Michelle Nihei

Michelle Nihei brings a combination of intuition and analytical skill to training, the latter a product of her academic background.

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Times Sizzle in F-T Sale's Under Tack Show

If the results of the under tack show Feb. 28 were any indication, the Fasig-Tipton Florida select sale of 2-year-olds in training is in the process of making a successful transition to its new home, Palm Meadows.

Quality Road to Stand for $35,000

Four-time grade I winner Quality Road will stand for $35,000 in 2011 at William S. Farish's Lane's End Farm near Versailles, Ky.

Six-Figure Filly Tops Keeneland's Day 12

A filly from the first crop of Eclipse Award-winning grass male English Channel topped Day 12 of the 14-day Keeneland September yearling sale in Lexington Sept. 24. The filly sold for $110,000.

English Channel Filly Tops Washington Sale

Todd and Shawn Hansen purchased English Channel yearling filly for $80,000 from Griffin Place, agent.

English Channel Relocates to Lane's End

English Channel, the 2007 champion turf male, has been relocated to Mr. and Mrs. William S. Farish's Lane's End Farm near Versailles, Ky., for the 2010 season. Owned by Brad Kelley and James Scatuorchio, English Channel entered stud in 2008 and his first foals arrived this year.

Artie Schiller, Bellamy Road to Pauls Mill

Ben P. Walden Jr., president of Hurricane Hall near Lexington, has announced that the farm's stallion operation will be relocated to his newly purchased 265-acre Pauls Mill near Versailles, Ky.

Champion English Channel's First Foal

The first foal sired by Eclipse Award winner English Channel is a filly born Jan. 8.

Pletcher Assistant Goes Out on Own

Seth Benzel, Todd Pletcher's New York assistant, will open a public racing stable of his own starting May 1.

Einstein Heads Gulfstream Park Turf

Midnight Cry Stables' Einstein won the 2006 edition of the Gulfstream Park Turf (gr. IT) and was a close-up third to Jambalaya last year. In this year's $350,000 edition, the son of Spend a Buck returns to the grass after a sixth-place finish over dirt and faces the likes of Dave, Shamdinan, and Zann.

Biancone Has New Venture

Hurricane Hall selling training division to Patrick Biancone and Fabien Ouaki.

Stallion Video: English Channel

English Channel, by Avalyn Hunter

English Channel Champion Turf Male

English Channel has had the look of a champion since June 9 when he lost by only a head to 2004 Breeders' Cup Turf winner Better Talk Now in the Manhattan Handicap (gr. I).

Smart Choice: (with Video)

Smart Strike bowls over the competition to be the 2007 North American leading sire.

Curlin Tops Eclipse Finalists

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), National Turf Writers Association (NTWA) and Daily Racing Form (DRF) today announced the finalists for the 2007 Eclipse Awards.

Silver Wagon to Hurricane Hall

Grade I winner Silver Wagon will enter stud for 2008 at Hurricane Hall near Lexington, it was announced Dec. 18.

English Channel to Stand for $25,000

Breeders' Cup winner English Channel will stand for $25,000 in 2008 at Hurricane Hall near Lexington.

Eclipse Awards a No-Brainer This Year

Start engraving the Eclipse Awards. This year's honors are all but a done deal. Despite the horrible conditions at Monmouth Park, the Breeders' Cup World Championships were surprisingly formful, with several favorites and leading contenders turning in dominating performances.

English Channel to Stand at Hurricane Hall

English Channel, who ran his way into a championship by way of his overwhelming score in the Oct. 27 John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT), has been retired from racing and will enter stud at Hurricane Hall near Lexington.

Turf Winner English Channel Retired to Stud for 2008

Jim Scatuorchio announced Oct. 28 that his John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) victor English Channel would be retired to stud for 2008 at a Kentucky-based farm.

Channeling Success

English Channel is a dream come true for a small, 13-mare Central Kentucky Thoroughbred nursery named Keene Ridge Farm. The 170-acre farm has not only produced a Breeders' Cup winner but may also have a turf champion.

English Channel Breaks Through in Turf

English Channel pulled away from a tight pack coming out of the final turn and exploded through the stretch to win his first $3 million John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) in three tries, beating a field that included European star Dylan Thomas.

Commentary: Betting the Breeders' Cup Exotics

By Jason Shandler - The late Saturday Pick 4 looks like an appetizing way to bet the World Championships.

Video: Interview with James Scatuorchio

Claire Novak interviews Turf Contender English Channel's owner James Scatuorchio, asking him about his chances against the highly touted Dylan Thomas and having the Breeders' Cup in his home state of New Jersey.

Better Talk Now: He's as Good as He Ever Was

Better Talk Now, who will make his fourth appearance Satuday in the John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT), hasn't lost his competitive edge.

Dylan Thomas, English Channel Draw Side by Side in Turf

Star European turf horse Dylan Thomas and Jim Scatuorchio's English Channel will enter the starting gate next to each other as the first and second morning-line choices for the Oct. 27 John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT).

Breeders' Cup Focus: English Channel - Turf

If any horse loves the Monmouth Park turf course, it's Jim Scatuorchio's English Channel, who won back-to-back runnings of the track's United Nations Stakes (gr. IT) and twice set the course record in doing so.

Powerful Strike

Smart Strike's pedigree indicates he was born to greatness. And though he didn't have greatness thrust upon him as a racehorse, he has certainly achieved greatness as a sire. As evidence is the rare feat he enjoyed Sept. 30 when he had three grade I winners in one day.

Powerful Strike

Smart Strike's pedigree indicates he was born to greatness. And though he didn't have greatness thrust upon him as a racehorse, he has certainly achieved greatness as a sire. As evidence is the rare feat he enjoyed Sept. 30 when he had three grade I winners in one day.

Stallion Smart Strike's Big Triple Called 'Overwhelming'

Smart Strike's big day as a stallion--three grade I stakes winners at the same racetrack--has Lane's End Farm really looking forward to the Breeders' Cup World Championships.

English Channel Wins Hirsch Classic in Spectacular Fashion

English Channel won the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (gr. IT) on Sept. 30 at Belmont Park.

English Channel Looks to Get Back in Winner's Circle

One month from now, English Channel's connections will be taking dead aim at the elusive $3-million John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) for a third time. But first, owner James Scatuorchio and trainer Todd Pletcher have to get the 5-year-old son of Smart Strike back on the winning track, as they must tackle six challengers in the one-mile Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (gr. IT) at Belmont Park Sept. 30.