Stable NBS Spooky channel gave Jason Barkley his first bet win as a youth coach when gelding won the Sycamore Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland in October 2021. Now, Spooky Channel has brought him another achievement: winning the stake after more than 14 months unranked.
Racing for the first time since Sycamore 2021 after recovering from a tendon injury discovered that winter, the 7-year-old English Channel gelding wins December 26 in the $99,000 Buddy Diliberto Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds Racecourse & Slotswin by 2 1/4 length English pub . This is his third win in a row, spanning over 16 months.
Barkley praises the patience and opportunity afforded by gelding ownership, NBS Stable led by John Ballantyne, veterinarian Wes Sutter for his stem cell care and treatment, jockey James Graham, uncle and jockey. in-law Jose Garcia, his wife and assistant, Shelby, for providing the opportunity. Spooky Channel gallop.
“We almost have the vehicle,” Barkley said. “He had a good prognosis to come back when it happened, and we did everything we could.
“We let him talk to us through the process. We agreed in January when we started the process that if he didn’t turn out to be the same stallion we would give him a break. retired, but he showed it step by step. he is still the same old horse, and we carry on with it. He proved that yesterday he returned just as good, if not more. is better.”
Spooky channel kept by his groom with coach Jason Barkley alongside his competitor after his win in the 2021 Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland
Barkley, who also ran in seventh place Channel Bizzee in Dilibero, said he watched the race with coach Joe Sharp, whose horse, Big Agenda , run the third. The two hugged behind Diliberto.
Barkley was previously an assistant coach for Sharp, just as he did for his father, Jeff and Wesley Ward.
“It’s not like it’s just started — it’s coming back after most of the end of a horse’s career,” he said. “Bringing him back speaks volumes for the team and the effort everyone has put in.”
Barkley said Spooky Channel has left Diliberto in good condition, keeping his eye on the $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes (G3T) on Jan. 28 at Sam Houston Racecourse as a scheduled next race. The Spooky Channel previously won that 1/2-mile turf race in January 2021 for then-owner Terry Hamilton and then-coach Brian Lynch.
Three months later, Barkley claimed the Spooky Channel for $80,000 from a high-subsidy option claim race at Churchill Downs. Gelding Farm Calumet, out of The joy of kittens mare spooky kitten has been 3-1-0 in six starts since and 12-4-0 out of 26 starts with earnings of $661,722.
Earlier this year, NBS Stable bought Spooky Channel’s full brother from the Buckland Sales shipment for the September Five Sale at Keeneland for $300,000.
Barkley quipped: “We’ll have him to hopefully look forward to in eight years’ time.
Videotapes: Buddy Diliberto S. (BT) Memorial
