Sire spotlight: Longer the better for English Channel offspring
English Channel, the champion turf horse who captured the 2007 Breeders' Cup Turf, was one of America's top turf sires for many years. Long after his death in 2021 at the age of 19, his progeny continue to win major turf stakes, including Far Bridge taking the Grade 2 Bowling Green at Saratoga on Saturday.
His last crop are still only 3-year-olds, so we may get to enjoy watching English Channel runners for a few more years.
During his racing career, English Channel amassed over $5.3 million in earnings with 13 wins from 23 starts, including seven Grade 1 victories. Trained by Todd Pletcher for owner James Scatuorchio, he was particularly dominant in the 2007 Breeders' Cup Turf at Monmouth Park, winning by seven lengths over a field that included multiple Grade 1 winners.
Surface analysis: dominance on turf
English Channel's progeny have made over 11,600 starts with a 12.8% overall win rate, accumulating more than $74 million in earnings. Not surprisingly for a turf champion, his offspring show a clear affinity for the grass.
| Surface | Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turf | 6,478 | 897 | 13.9% | 91 | $8,880 |
| Synthetic | 1,651 | 233 | 14.1% | 85 | $3,945 |
| Dirt | 3,498 | 360 | 10.3% | 67 | $2,892 |
| Overall | 11,627 | 1,490 | 12.8% | 83 | $6,378 |
Although English Channel's progeny win at similar rates on turf (13.9%) and synthetic surfaces (14.1%), their earnings per start on turf ($8,880) far outpace those on synthetic ($3,945) and dirt ($2,892). Their average Horse Racing Nation speed figure on turf (91) is also significantly higher than on other surfaces, emphasizing their turf superiority.
Distance analysis: Route runners excel
When analyzing performance by race distance, English Channel's offspring demonstrate a strong preference for longer races, consistent with their sire's own racing profile.
This is most dramatically expressed by his graded-stakes wins across several categories.
| Category | GS wins | GS winners | GS placings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Route | 82 | 33 | 145 |
| 8f to 9f | 23 | 14 | 43 |
| > 9f | 51 | 18 | 76 |
We can also see this in the details of sprint and route races.
| Distance | Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint | 2,797 | 277 | 9.9% | 71 | $2,953 |
| Route | 8,830 | 1,213 | 13.7% | 87 | $7,462 |
The statistics clearly demonstrate English Channel's progeny perform better in routes, with a 13.7% win rate compared to 9.9% in sprints. Their average HRN speed figure jumps 16 points from sprints to routes, and earnings per start are more than 2.5 times higher in route races. These numbers reinforce English Channel as a strong influence for stamina.
Surface and distance combinations
Breaking down performance by both surface and distance reveals more specific strengths of English Channel's offspring.
| Surface/ Distance | Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dirt sprint | 1,635 | 146 | 8.9% | 65 | $1,869 |
| Dirt route | 1,863 | 214 | 11.5% | 69 | $3,789 |
| Turf sprint | 705 | 84 | 11.9% | 79 | $5,471 |
| Turf route | 5,773 | 813 | 14.1% | 92 | $9,296 |
| Synth sprint | 457 | 47 | 10.3% | 83 | $2,947 |
| Synth route | 1,194 | 186 | 15.6% | 86 | $4,328 |
Turf routes emerge as the clear specialty for English Channel's progeny, with a strong 14.1% win rate, exceptional 92 average speed figure and nearly $9,300 earnings per start. Notably, synthetic routes also produce excellent results, with a 15.6% win rate. The data confirm that English Channel's offspring perform best when running long on surfaces other than dirt.
Excelling at marathon races
A closer examination of specific distance ranges reveals English Channel's offspring truly shine at longer distances, particularly beyond nine furlongs, which include many marathon turf stakes such as the Bowling Green.
| Distance Range | Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 6F | 926 | 74 | 8.0% | 66 | $2,600 |
| 6F to 6.5F | 1,361 | 130 | 9.6% | 73 | $2,902 |
| 6.51F to 8F | 4,623 | 649 | 14.0% | 82 | $4,563 |
| 8.01F to 9F | 3,971 | 513 | 12.9% | 87 | $5,799 |
| Greater than 9F | 746 | 124 | 16.6% | 105 | $31,733 |
At distances greater than nine furlongs, English Channel's progeny achieve their highest win rate (16.6%), their best average speed figure (105), and extraordinarily high earnings per start ($31,733).
Gender analysis
English Channel appears to pass his stamina and turf aptitude to both male and female offspring, though with some differences in performance metrics.
| Gender | Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 6,903 | 912 | 13.2% | 87 | $7,230 |
| Female | 4,724 | 578 | 12.2% | 77 | $5,131 |
Male offspring show a slightly higher win percentage (13.2% vs. 12.2%) and produce higher average speed figures (87 vs. 77) compared to females. They also earn about $2,100 more per start, suggesting that colts and geldings by English Channel might have a slight advantage in class and ability.
Development pattern: Improving with experience
English Channel's offspring show a clear pattern of improvement as they gain racing experience, which is no surprise.
| Experience | Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Start | 586 | 50 | 8.5% | 67 | $3,878 |
| Second Start | 558 | 51 | 9.1% | 73 | $4,643 |
| Third Start | 527 | 57 | 10.8% | 76 | $5,167 |
Age comparison: Maturing with time
The age-progression data for English Channel's progeny demonstrates they typically improve with maturity, consistent with the profile of a stamina-oriented sire.
| Age | Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2YO | 684 | 71 | 10.4% | 69 | $6,361 |
| 3YO | 2,962 | 333 | 11.2% | 78 | $5,697 |
| 4YO | 2,931 | 436 | 14.9% | 83 | $5,942 |
| 5YO+ | 5,050 | 650 | 12.9% | 87 | $7,032 |
English Channel's offspring show significant improvement at age 4, with win percentage jumping from 11.2% at 3 to 14.9% at 4. Speed figures continue to increase with age, peaking at 87 for horses 5 and older and earnings per start peak as well.
Overall
Based on the comprehensive statistics, English Channel's offspring clearly excel in turf routes, particularly at distances beyond a mile. In fact they are so good at turf routes it's a little surprising they are ever started in dirt sprints, but sometimes that is a factor of availability of turf racing.