FRANKLIN, Ky. – Trainer Mike Maker, once the king of Kentucky Downs, went winless with 44 starters during the track’s 2024 meet. Things finally turned around for Maker here last week, and Maker still is king of the Kentucky Turf Cup. On Saturday he won Kentucky Downs’ signature race for a record sixth time when Ole Crazy Bone stormed to the lead in midstretch and went on to a three-length victory.
Maker wears another crown: No trainer has come within a vast kingdom of him when it comes to claiming horses and turning them into long-distance turf-stakes winners. He has done it time and again, often with older horses, and four of his five previous Turf Cup winners came with claimed horses. Zulu Alpha, who won in 2019, was claimed for $80,000. Oscar Nominated, the 2017 Turf Cup winner, was claimed for $75,000. And Maker claimed Da Big Hoss, who went back-to-back here in 2015 and 2016, for $50,000.
On June 26 at Churchill Downs, Maker put in a $100,000 claim on behalf of owner Jay Provenzano’s Flying P Racing for Ole Crazy Bone. At 5, Ole Crazy Bone is younger than many of these Maker miracles. Maker thought Ole Crazy Bone, who finished second in his first start after the claim, was the best horse in the Ellis Park preview stakes for this race. He was much the best Saturday, overtaking pacesetter Corruption and romping home in the Grade 2, $2.5 million Turf Cup.
The race is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series and Ole Crazy Bone gained automatic fees-paid entry into the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Maker had Provenzano on the phone after finishing the winner’s-circle ceremony.
“Jay was already screaming, ‘Breeders’ Cup! Breeders’ Cup!’ ” Makers said.
Six-year-old Tawny Port, third in this race a year ago and second here a week ago in the 2 1/16-mile Nashville Gold Cup, came off the rail and finished with interest outside pacesetting Corruption for second. Corruption, who set a solid pace while racing in the clear under Jose Ortiz, didn’t quite stay the 1 1/2 miles, but ran well finishing third, a half-length behind Tawny Port. Then came Mercante, last year’s winner Grand Sonata, and tepid 9-2 favorite Fort Washington in sixth. Drawn wide, Fort Washington raced at least four paths off the stretch the entire trip and wilted in the stretch.
Ole Crazy Bone was timed in 2:24.72 and paid $15.50 to win. Bred in Kentucky by Adena Springs, Ole Crazy Bone is by Ghostzapper out of Southern Gem, by Smart Strike.
Making his stakes debut in June 2024, Ole Crazy Bone finished a close second going 1 1/8 miles in the Texas Turf Classic, but probably came onto Maker’s radar only when he was third this past winter going 1 1/2 miles in the John Connally Memorial, a race Maker won with Sugoi.
“He looked like he’d appreciate a mile and a half. We had the race at Ellis in mind and, of course, this race,” Maker said.
Ole Crazy Bone’s difficult trip last out came from well off the pace, but on Saturday, jockey Flavien Prat had Ole Crazy Bone sitting second behind Corruption. Maker said he loved his horse’s position around the far turn, but Prat felt at the three-eighths pole that Ole Crazy Bone was not really taking him anywhere, while Corruption cruised easily on the lead.
“All of a sudden, he turned for home and went to his right lead and he really engaged from there,” Prat said.
Ole Crazy Bone caught Corruption just past the quarter pole and, just like Maker expected, stayed on strongly over the 1 1/2 miles.
Maker said Ole Crazy Bone came into his barn in excellent physical condition, that he didn’t need to make any major changes. And even after one fallow season here, nothing has really changed: Mike Maker remains king of the Kentucky Turf Cup.
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