The Late English Channel Making Moves on Sires List

Just a few weeks ago, the late English Channel was on the outside looking in on the general sires list for earnings. Now, he’s the biggest mover, having jumped six spots from No. 25 to 19.

His 8-year-old gelding Spooky Channel  took second in the Sept. 9 Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes (G2T), and that $321,800 in purse earnings fueled the late sire’s rise. He also received a boost from his 9-year-old Cross Border . The New York-bred ridgling captured the Cape Henlopen Stakes at Delaware Park.

The second biggest climber in rankings is Twirling Candy  . After moving up one spot two weeks ago, he moved four places to No. 14. His 5-year-old son Gear Jockey  won the $1 million Turf Sprint Stakes (G2T) at Kentucky Downs, and with it a prize of $589,680. On the same card, Twirling Candy’s 3-year-old Sweet Cherry Pie  ran third in the $1 million Franklin-Simpson Stakes (G2T).

As always, if someone rises, it means someone falls. This time, Good Magic   takes the biggest stumble backward. Having usually been found in the middle of the pack, Good Magic stands on the brink of dropping out of the top 25 for the first time in months. 

Other notable positive movers are Uncle Mo  , up two places from No. 4; Kantharos  , who also moved two spots to No. 15; and Cairo Prince  , who sits at No. 21 after a two-spot climb.

Conversely, several are trending downward for at least the previous two weeks. Those sires are Curlin  , who swapped with Uncle Mo, falling two spots to No. 4; Tapit   dropped one spot to No. 11; Candy Ride   went in reverse three spots to No. 17; the late Arrogate fell two positions to No. 16; and Dialed In   also had a two-position fall to No. 23. 

Still standing at the top of the rankings is Into Mischief  . He holds a commanding $5,816,417 lead over Uncle Mo. But the dollar figure doesn’t tell the whole story. When measured by average earnings per runner, Into Mischief stands 11th with $44,896 per runner. It is Gun Runner   who stands above the field. At $71,049 per runner, he holds a $13,134 advantage over Curlin in this category. 

If we looked at the top 25 under this structure, we would see Good Magic in the top three, and several sires not in the overall progeny earnings top 25 make the grade. That list includes Army Mule  , Pioneerof the Nile, War Front  , Bolt d’Oro  , Classic Empire  , City of Light  , Great Notion  , Girvin  , Vronsky , and Ghostzapper  .