Channing Way--California Gold Rush II

Channing Way had been beating up her competition at Turf Paradise, but no one, not even her owner or trainer, knew how the filly was going to perform in Hollywood. Therefore, when she made her first foray out of the Arizona desert to try for some California gold in the $150,000 Melair Stakes, she was dismissed at 6-1 odds despite losing only once in five lifetime starts.

No one was more surprised at her odds than breeder-owner Lawrence Becker. As a referee for professional tennis tournaments all around the country, Becker must have seen plenty of precocious, gawky teenagers who developed into stars on the tennis circuit. By sending his mare Only Silk to Smokester (Cardiff Stud Farms), he was trying to tap into a gene pool that could give him a star on the racing circuit. Smokester was unheard of until Free House started creating rave reviews by twice defeating Silver Charm on his way to the 1997 Kentucky Derby.

That was also the year Channing Way was conceived. She had scored runaway victories in the Cactus Cup Handicap and K'thryn's Doll Stakes, but not against the level of competition she would face in the Melair. Channing Way was the precocious teenager looking to become a star.

While the race didn't have a marquee name, it did attract Warren's Whistle, a stretch-running sprinter who had captured three previous stakes and was favored to take the Melair as well. Channing Way showed early speed in the 6 1/2-furlong contest, split horses in the stretch and defeated Comedy Class by a nose. Warren's Whistle, as usual, came from far back to take third. It was Becker's biggest victory since entering the Thoroughbred business in 1989,

Jockey Chance Rollins accompanied Channing Way from Arizona to retain his mount on her, and he was already convinced of the filly's talent.

"This filly is genuine," he said. "I have a lot of confidence in her. She just dominated at Turf Paradise. The only time she lost, she had trouble handling a drying-out track. She's very game and I knew she'd run big here. When Victor Espinoza's filly (Comedy Class) got in front of her, she dug back in."

Sent up north after the Melair, Channing Way scored another nose decision in the Miss California Stakes at Bay Meadows. She then ran third in the Fairfield Stakes at Solano, which was her last reported start.