English Channel Colt Running Bee Leads Fort Lauderdale

English Channel, who died in late 2021, is gone but not forgotten. The sons and daughters of the late stallion are seeing to that.

Once again in 2023, English Channel is the leading turf sire in North America, as he has been every calendar year since 2020. His progeny have made more than $6.8 million on the grass in 2023, with perhaps more to come. On Dec. 30, one of his sons, Running Bee , jumps into stakes company at Gulfstream Park to race in the $200,000 Fort Lauderdale Stakes (G2T).

The 1 1/8-mile Fort Lauderdale, the richest of four stakes Saturday at Gulfstream, serves as a local prep for the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T) Jan. 27.

Running Bee, a 4-year-old trained by Chad Brown, has raced just once in a stakes race—finishing ninth in the Dueling Grounds Derby (G3T) at Kentucky Downs—but appears to be a horse with stakes potential. He has won three of his last four starts, including a second-level allowance optional claiming race by 3 3/4 lengths Nov. 17 at Aqueduct Racetrack after a layoff of more than a year. Racing on the lead, he blazed 1 1/16 miles on turf in 1:40.12.

Irad Ortiz Jr. rides the colt, who races for Calumet Farm, where English Channel stood in Kentucky after he arrived at that farm in the summer of 2014.

Running Bee is one of two horses trained by Chad Brown in the Fort Lauderdale. He is joined by Stone Age , whom he began racing over the summer after the Galileo colt ran for Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien.

A group 3 winner in Ireland, Stone Age is erratic but capable of competing at the highest levels. He is thrice grade/group 1-placed for owners Peter Brant and the Coolmore-affiliated Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor, but has struggled this year.  He has twice been fifth for Brown when competing against classy opposition in the Aug. 26 Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course and the Oct. 7 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) during the Belmont at the Big A meet.

Hall of Famer John Velazquez rides Stone Age, whom Brown cuts back in distance and races with blinkers added.

The multiple stakes-placed Jerry the Nipper  and graded stakes winner Grand Sonata , both trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, head the opposition.

Full Count Felicia to Dial Up Pressure in SuwaNnee River

Earlier on the card, 10 fillies and mares compete in the $150,000 Suwannee River Stakes (G3T) at a mile on turf.

Gold Square’s Full Count Felicia , recently fourth in the Nov. 5 Goldikova Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park, has trained at Palm Meadows Training Center this winter leading up to Saturday’s race. Before heading west for the Goldikova, she won four of five starts against easier opposition in the Mid-Atlantic.

Ortiz Jr. rides Full Count Felicia, a dramatically improved 4-year-old filly trained by Brittany Russell. She won the All Along Stakes two starts ago at Pimlico Race Course.

She is by War Front  , North America’s second-leading turf sire of 2023.

Saffron Moon , Poca Mucha , Walkathon , and Fast as Flight  are other threats.