Grade 1 Winner, Sire Channel Cat Sold to Turkey

Calumet Farm's grade 1-winning millionaire and freshman sire Channel Cat has been sold to a syndicate owned by Atahan Zilcioglu and will stand in Turkey starting in 2027, according to agent Murat Sancal, who brokered the deal, and confirmed by the farm. Channel Cat is an 11-year-old son of multiple leading North American turf sire English Channel. A homebred for Calumet, he won the 2021 Man o' War Stakes (G1T) after running third in the Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T) and United Nations Stakes (G1T) in 2019. With trainer Todd Pletcher, Channel Cat compiled a 6-4-5 record from 32 starts and earned $1,481,022. "After Voodoo Song's success with limited runners, Turkish breeders would like to invest more in the English Channel line," Sancal said. "Channel Cat is also a popular cross because of Kitten's Joy, who is doing really well in Turkey with (his son) Sadler's Joy. Sadler's Joy has produced 14 winners from 22 runners, and three of those will compete in the 2.6 million euros Gazi Kosusu (Gazi Derby) this Sunday." The Gazi Derby purse is now the highest among the major Derbies throughout Europe, according to Yaris Dergisi, a Turkish horse racing media website. Voodoo Song was champion grass horse in New York for 2018. He was purchased by Turkish owner/breeder Alp S. Evcimen in 2020 and entered stud in Turkey in 2021. The stallion's first winner is also his first stakes winner in Kralin Dansi, who won the March 29 Evzi Lutfi Karaosmanolu at Sirinyer Racecourse in the city of Izmir. Kralin Dansi has won or placed 11 times out of 16 starts to date. Channel Cat is out of the winning Kitten's Joy daughter Carnival Kitten, who is a half sister to group 1-placed stakes winner Red Moloney (Sahm). The immediate family also has produced grade 1 winner Lieutenant's Lark, multiple graded stakes winner Dove Hunt, group 3 winner Down the Flag, and graded-placed stakes winner Rio's Lark. Channel Cat has only been represented by one starter so far. His gelded son Channelurambition made his racing debut June 25 at Horseshoe Indianapolis where he finished second for owner/trainer Joseph Davis. Calumet launched Channel Cat's stud career in 2023. He stands this year for $7,500. The stallion is expected to ship to Turkey in late summer.