Friday, July 25, 2008

‘Crazyguy’ & Olympic Clash in Mataji Saturday at Calder

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (July 24, 2008) – Stamina will be the premium quality required from the field of 10 older horses entered in Saturday’s $55,000 Mataji overnight stakes at Calder Race Course with Lewis Pell and Michael Eigner’s Imawildandcrazyguy and Edmund Gann’s Olympic likely to be among the choices in the 1 3/8 miles turf test.

Jockey Manoel Cruz gets the call on Imawildandcrazyguy for trainer Bill Kaplan after an unfortunate foray to New York where he finished last of six in the 12-furlong Brooklyn Handicap (G2) last out on June 6, a performance well below his best form established during a career that has yielded earnings of $546,000.


A 4-year-old roan/gray gelding by Wild Event, Imawildandcrazyguy is best known for finishing fourth behind Street Sense, Hard Spun and Curlin in the 2007 Kentucky Derby (G1). In his last start prior to the Brooklyn, the confirmed stretch runner rallied to capture the Sumter overnight stakes going one mile and 70 yards over his Calder home track on May 4 and demonstrated last fall that he handles turf when second in the Calder Derby (G3).

Jockey Javier Santiago will be atop Olympic for trainer Marty Wolfson as he stretches out from a solid third-place finish going seven furlongs on the main track in a ‘money’ allowance on July 11, beaten a length by Yesbyjimminy. Olympic is a Danzig horse out of 1991 Eclipse champion mare Queena.

Another contender in the field with a golden pedigree is Warehouse Investments’ 4-year-old English-bred colt Ancient Culture to be ridden by apprentice Paco Lopez for veteran horseman Manny Azpurua. Ancient Culture is by world champion sire Sadler’s Wells out of 1993 Irish Oaks (G1) winner Wemyss Bight.

Completing the field for the Mataji are Alan Benning’s Lady Tropicana, Robert Klein’s Croton Road, Brylynn Farm’s Chelly B, Rose Family Stable’s Rachel’s Dancer, Roy Cawley’s Unbridled Music, Jacks or Better Farm’s Ace Up My Sleeve and Jerome Bozzo Trust’s Zoobstick.

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