Changethechannel Switches Surfaces

Changethechannel faded after prompting the pace in an allowance race at 1 1/16 miles on dirt Feb. 13, finishing 16 lengths behind victorious Macha.

Sean McCarthy anticipates an improved performance from the 5-year-old English Channel mare when she changes surfaces Sunday in the Grade III Santa Barbara Handicap at 1 ¼ miles on turf.

“I don’t know if the surface change will make that much difference, but the distance certainly should help,” said the trainer who won his first graded stakes race on March 29 when he saddled Majestic Harbor to take the Tokyo City Cup.

“The pace of a mile and quarter on grass is a lot more suitable than a mile and a sixteenth on the dirt,” McCarthy said.

While Changethechannel seeks her first stakes win in this, her 14th career start, she did win at a mile and a quarter on turf two races back in an overnight race at Santa Anita.

The field for the Santa Barbara: Phonybooksnrecords, Drayden Van Dyke, 20-1; Miss Serendipity, Brice Blanc, 7-2; Stormy Lucy, Rafael Bejarano, 2-1; Champagneandcaviar, Joe Talamo, 8-1; Floral Romance, Agapito Delgadillo, 8-1; Changethechannel, Tyler Baze, 6-1; Customer Base, Mike Smith, 5-2; and Topic, Corey Nakatani, 8-1.