Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Manhattan tests the old pros
ELMONT, N.Y. – Between them, they’ve earned nearly $4.7 million and both are Grade 1 winners, although the question remains whether old pros Sadler’s Joy and Channel Maker can still muster the kind of effort it will take to win Saturday’s $400,000 Manhattan at Belmont Park. The Manhattan is carded at a 1 1/4 miles over the inner turf.
Sadler’s Joy, now 7, has banked over $2.5 million during a career that began four years ago and has been highlighted by his half-length victory over Money Multiplier in the 2017 Sword Dancer at Saratoga. Grade 1-placed on eight occasions, including the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Turf, Sadler’s Joy will be appearing in his third renewal of the Manhattan, having finished second, beaten a neck by Spring Quality, in 2018, and third, only 1 1/2 lengths behind Ascend, the previous summer.
Sadler’s Joy has started three times in 2020, finishing third in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida at Gulfstream Park and third in the ungraded Tiller in his last outing here four weeks ago.
“I thought he ran well in his last start coming off a four-month break,” said Tom Albrertrani, who has trained Sadler’s Joy throughout his brilliant career. “I think the race kind of put him back on his game, made him a little sharper. He’s had a nice couple of works leading up to this, but, as usual, it’s always about the pace with him.”
Albertrani said he hasn’t seen any signs that Sadler’s Joy could be losing a step or two as he’s gotten older.
“He surprises me quite a bit because even as a 7-year-old, he still has that same kind of spunk,” said Albertrani. “I just hope he gets a good trip and that the third time will be the charm in the Manhattan.”
Channel Maker got his Grade 1 win 14 months ago, when he got up for a neck decision over Arklow in the Man o’ War. He has gone winless in eight subsequent starts, although he did finish second during that span in the Grade 1 Turf Classic Invitational here on Oct. 5. Channel Maker finished eighth in the Tiller after racing forwardly placed.
Overall, Channel Maker, a 6-year-old son of English Channel, has banked in excess of $2.1 million, half of that total during the 2019 season.
As always in Grade 1 turf races in New York, trainer Chad Brown is certain to have a strong hand and the 2020 Manhattan is no exception to that rule. Brown has entered a trio of top contenders – Instilled Regard, Devamani, and Rockemperor – each of whom is coming off a big effort against Grade 2 opposition.
Instilled Regard and Devamani finished first and second, a neck apart, in the ninefurlong Fort Marcy here on June 6. Instilled Regard rallied from mid-pack to a clear lead through midstretch before holding off a strong bid from his stablemate. The win was the second in the last four starts for Instilled Regard, who captured the Grade 2 Ft. Lauderdale at Gulfstream Park in his 2019 finale before finishing third in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf in his 2020 debut.
“His biggest asset in his quest to get a mile and a quarter at this level is going to be if the ground is firm. That may get him there.” Brown said of Instilled Regard. “I know that he ran well last time out with give in the ground, but I know with certainty that his preferred ground is firm.”
Devamani has now been frustrated in both starts since joining Brown’s potent stable late last season. He was also second, beaten a nose, in the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Stakes earlier this winter.
“He’s adapted quite well to our program. I think he’s finding his rhythm,” said Brown. “I think he’s in his prime right now and he’s very dangerous. Numbers folks might look at him and say he needs to get faster. I see him as a horse that at his age, he’s improving.”
Rockemperor also suffered a frustrating defeat in his last outing, beaten a nose by United before being disqualified to third as the even-money favorite in the 1 1/4-mile Grade 2 Whitingham at Santa Anita on May 23. Third here a year ago in the Belmont Derby, Rockemperor remains winless in four U.S. outings.
Cross Border looks like the controlling speed in the Manhattan, stretching out off a second-place effort in a one-mile allowance race here on June 3. Distance should not prove an obstacle to the Mike Makertrained New York-bred, who was beaten a neck by Spooky Channel in the 1 1/2-mile, Grade 3 W.L. McKnight this winter at Gulfstream Park.
Spooky Channel turned in a pair of disappointing efforts at the Grade 2 level in the Mac Diarmida and Pan American following his come-from-behind triumph in the McKnight before rebounding with a neck victory against a strong field of highend allowance foes May 23 at Churchill Downs.
Dot Matrix, beaten a head after a stretch-long duel in the Tiller, and a Grade 3 winner to kick off the year in the John B. Connally at Sam Houston, completes the extremely wellmatched matched lineup. –additional reporting
by David Grening