After breaking through with a dominant win in the Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational Stakes (G2T) last summer, Ole Crazy Bone is set to return to graded company July 11 at Saratoga Race Course in the $250,000 Bowling Green Stakes (G2T).
That career-defining win last September came in just his second start since being claimed by trainer Mike Maker and owner Flying P Stable for $100,000 out of an allowance optional claiming event at Churchill Downs. The son of Ghostzapper responded well to the change when missing by just a neck in Ellis Park's listed preview stakes for the Turf Cup before going on to take the main event by 3 3/4 lengths at Kentucky Downs.
Ole Crazy Bone worked just twice in the fall after that victory before hitting the shelf, returning to the work tab in the spring and to the races May 21. His 6-year-old debut ended in a runner-up finish, beaten just three-quarters of a length by dual Canadian champion Dresden Row in allowance company over 1 1/16 miles on the turf at Churchill. Now, Ole Crazy Bone lengthens back out to 1 3/8 miles with Flavien Prat, who rode him in the Kentucky Turf Cup, returning to the saddle for his second start off the layoff.
One of his top rivals is another grade 2 winner aiming to return to the win column in his third start off a layoff: Minaret Station. The OXO Equine-owned and Will Walden-trained colt only started once in 2025, backing up his 2024 Bourbon Stakes (G2T) win with a triumph in the American Derby.
Despite not getting a victory in his two starts at 4, he has shown to be on the proper path back to the top levels when returning from a 10-month layoff to finish fourth, beaten just a length, in the April 30 Opening Verse Stakes and runner-up by three-quarters of a length in the May 30 Arlington Stakes (G3T), both at Churchill Downs with Lagynos the winner.
The son of Instilled Regard ships East for the first time in his career and will also gain the services of Jose Ortiz as he makes his first attempt beyond 1 1/16 miles.
The theme of trying to reclaim former glory runs deep through most of the seven runners entered for the turf (three additional entries are for the main track only). One of them is Carson's Run, whose 2-1-0 record from four Saratoga starts includes a win in the 2024 Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T).
Like Minaret Station, 2025 was not the son of Cupid 's year as he made it to the gate just twice in the spring. Back at 5 for West Point Thoroughbreds, Steven Bouchey, and trainer Miguel Clement, he's been off the board in two starts, but now gets a chance to lengthen back out to three turns, having won the 2024 Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes (G3T) over Saturday's 1 3/8-mile distance.
Mrs. Fitriani Hay's Fort George will aim to keep the hot streak alive for the foreigners after a pair of European-trained horses swept the Belmont Derby (G1T) and Belmont Oaks (G1T) on Saratoga's opening weekend. The United Kingdom-based trainer Ed Walker kept the 4-year-old son of Territories in Dubai this winter where he won a group 3 and placed behind Rebel's Romance in a group 2. He was most recently ninth in the March 28 Dubai Turf (G1T) behind Ombudsman.
Rounding out the field are grade 2 winner Desvio and stakes winner Soleil Volant, who were recently fourth and second, respectively, in the Cape Henlopen Stakes June 13 at Delaware Park. BBN Racing's Carcano is entered for his graded stakes debut, but is also cross-entered for an allowance race July 12 at Colonial Downs.
Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, July 11, 2026, Race 10Entries: Bowling Green S. Presented by Emerald Evocations (G2T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 Ole Crazy Bone (KY) Flavien Prat 124 Michael J. Maker - 2 Soleil Volant (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 120 H. Graham Motion - 3 Desvio (KY) John R. Velazquez 124 Madison F. Meyers - 4 Fort George (GB) Kieran Shoemark 122 Ed Walker - 5 Carson's Run (KY) Joel Rosario 120 Miguel Clement - 6 Minaret Station (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 120 William Walden - 7 Carcano (KY) Manuel Franco 120 Victoria H. Oliver - 8 Yo Daddy (KY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 124 Linda Rice - 9 Kinetic (KY) Flavien Prat 124 Ilkay Kantarmaci - 10 Dr. Kraft (NY) Silvestre Gonzalez 124 Ilkay Kantarmaci -
