English Channel latter part of the 19th century when Captain Matthew Webb made the first observed and unassisted swim across the Strait of Dover, swimming from England to France on 24–25 August 1875 in 21 hours 45 minutes. In 1927, at a time when fewer than ten swimmers (including the first woman, Gertrude Ederle in 1926) had managed to emulate the feat and many dubious claims were being made, the Channel Swimming Association (CSA) was founded to authenticate and ratify swimmers' claims to have swum the Channel and to verify crossing times. The CSA was dissolved in 1999 and was succeeded by
English Channel (horse) Arlington Million. While he and Cacique raced in third and fourth, The Tin Man, an eight-year-old son of Affirmed, set a pace so slow that some later described it as "murder". The slow pace enabled The Tin Man to conserve energy and win. English Channel did not rally as usual and finished fourth, slightly more than two lengths behind the winner. Pletcher ran English Channel in one final prep before the Breeders' Cup, the Hirsch at Belmont, a race in which he was narrowly defeated the previous year. Co-entry Icy Atlantic took the lead and set a slow pace while