Ole Crazy Bone's owner prefers Clement over Kentucky Cup Turf Invitational for next start
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Following Ole Crazy Bone’s narrow victory in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Bowling Green Stakes, trainer Mike Maker said the plan was to point to the $2 million Kentucky Cup Turf Invitational on Sept. 5 at Kentucky Downs. Ole Crazy Bone won that race last year.
Owner Jay Provenzano has a different plan.
Provenzano said Sunday that it’s his preference to run Ole Crazy Bone back in the Grade 1, $750,000 Christophe Clement, formerly the Sword Dancer, here on Aug. 15.
“After watching him relish this [turf], why am I going to come out of my own backyard?” Provenzano said Sunday. “I’ll probably face 6 horses as opposed to 14 over there. We’ll play both spots, he’ll let us know.”
Both the Clement and the Kentucky Cup offer a fees-paid berth into the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Turf on Oct. 31 at Keeneland. Ole Crazy Bone was being pointed to last year’s BC Turf at Del Mar before he was hurt in his penultimate workout. He was diagnosed with a knee chip that had to be surgically removed.
Ole Crazy Bone had one race prior to the Bowling Green and finished a solid second in a 1 1/16-mile race run at a distance shorter than his best.
“They say the third race off the layoff is their best race, the [Clement] will be his third race off the layoff,” Provenzano said. “He’s progressing.”
Ole Crazy Bone, who earned a 97 Beyer Speed Figure for the Bowling Green, will likely be joined in the Clement by Fort George and Minaret Station, the second- and third-place finishers from the Bowling Green.
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