Knicks Go Not the only horse aiming for a level 1 final race before a scheduled stallion career begins next month. So also Cat . Channel .
While Knicks Go races in the main event at Gulfstream Park Jan 29, $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1), Channel Cat will appear in the side feature, $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T). Both races were 1 1/8 mile.
A 7-year-old son of English Channel Owned by his breeder Calumet Farm, Channel Cat is a six-time winner and multi-millionaire who won the Man o’ War Stakes (G1T) last May 8 for trainer Jack Sisterson . He lost his next four starts, even though he was competitive, finishing second in the Red Smith Stakes (G2T) on November 20 at Aqueduct race track.
Sisterson said he is not concerned with the cut distance for Channel Cat, pointing to the pace shown from him in recent starts of his 30-race career. Channel Cat has been regularly enjoying the breeze this winter on the turf at the Palm Meadows Training Center in South Florida.
“So we’re excited to run him for the next few weeks,” Sisterson said.
Channel Cat will import seed at Calumet for an advertising fee of $7,500, according to the farm’s website. Brother Channel stood there before his death in November.
Knicks Go, Probable Horse of the Year in 2021, will head to Taylor Made Stallions, also in Central Kentucky, for a promotional fee of $30,000.
