Recent claim Ole Crazy Bone delivers in Kentucky Turf Cup

Benefitting from a well-timed ride by jockey Flavien Prat, recent claim Ole Crazy Bone made his move at the top of the stretch and drew off to win Saturday in the Grade 2, $2.5 million Kentucky Turf Cup by 3 3/4 lengths over Tawny Port.

The win was a record-extending sixth in the race for trainer Mike Maker, who had claimed Ole Crazy Bone for $100,000 on behalf of Flying P Stable two races back at Ellis Park.

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“I wanted a horse that looked like he’d appreciate a mile and a half,” Maker said. “We had the race at Ellis in mind (second by a head at 1 1/4 miles in the Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup) and this race, of course.”

The victory also came with an automatic invitation for Old Crazy Bone (6-1) to race Nov. 1 in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar.

Ole Crazy Bone, breaking from post 8 of 11, settled into third early as Corruption assumed the lead entering the first turn and proceeded to set posted fractions of 24.20 and 48.87 seconds for the first half-mile. Old Crazy Bone moved into second entering the sweeping turn for home before pouncing on the pacesetter and drawing off to win impressively with a reported time of 2:24.72 for 1 1/2 miles over a good course. Timing is subject to corrections because of flaws with a new system installed this season.

“Honestly, I had a good trip, but when I got to the three-eighths pole, I didn’t have much horse,” Prat said. (Corruption) looked like he was traveling so well, and then all of a sudden (Ole Crazy Bone) turned for home, he went to his right lead, and he really engaged and went on and got the job done. Here it’s a bit different. They usually do that turning for home because of the track, it’s a bit different. This horse he just went on.”

Corruption held on to third and was followed by Mercante in fourth. Fort Washington, the 9-2 favorite, finished sixth.

When asked what he likes best about the Kentucky Cup Turf, Maker, who is Kentucky Downs’ all-time leading trainer, said, “Well, we’ve had an overabundance of marathon horses, and obviously the purse keeps growing.”

Owner Jay Provenzano of Flying P Stable hardly could believe his luck after winning the race.

“Listen, I couldn’t wait to run this horse there,” said Provenzano, speaking by phone from his Long Island, N.Y., home. “He ran so big last time (when second in the Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup at Ellis Park Aug. 3), it felt like I got kicked in the groin when we lost. Because we gave up 30 lengths the last race, and we just got beat. I’m so happy to win this race. I have never won a $2.5 million race before. ... I’m at a loss for words right now. It’s like I won Powerball already tonight.”

Ole Crazy Bone, a 5-year-old Ghostzapper gelding, improved his record to 19: 7-5-2 with earnings of $1,759,254. He returned $15.50, $8.62 and $5.70.