AZ Azalea Stables’ OFFLEE WILD (Wild Again) was 8 1/2 lengths ahead of his
nearest competitor and still pulling away at the conclusion of the $196,000
Excelsior Breeders’ Cup H. (G3) at Aqueduct Saturday. The five-year-old took to the
sloppy track, rating off the pace while Rogue Agent (Anjiz) set splits of :24
2/5, :48 1/5 and 1:12 3/5. Offlee Wild took over just around the second turn,
hitting the next point of call in 1:37 3/5 and completing the 1 1/8-mile affair
in 1:50 2/5 under jockey Rafael Bejarano.
The Richard Dutrow, Jr. trainee left the gate as the even-money favorite to
return $4.20, $2.90 and $2.20, keying exotics of $22.80 (exacta) and $82.50 (trifecta).
Rogue Agent held on to second, a half-length in front of Cuba (Not for Love) in
third. The former gave back $4.60 and $3.10 at 7-1 while the latter paid $3.20
at 14-1. Country Be Gold (Summer Squall) and Coast Line (Boston Harbor) rounded
out the order of finish. Diligent Gambler (Diligence) and Presidentialaffair
(Not For Love) were scratched from the race.
This victory marks the third win in four attempts under the tutelage of Dutrow and
the dark bay now has an overall line of 16-5-3-2 and $668,825 in earnings. Offlee
Wild also owns wins in the Massachusettes H. (G2) and Holy Bull S. (G3) and
placed in the 2003 Blue Grass S. (G1) as well as the John B. Campbell Breeders’
Cup H. earlier this season.
Offlee Wild was purchased for $325,000 at the Keeneland
September Yearling Sale in 2001. Bred in Kentucky by Dorothy Matz, he is out of the winning
Seattle Slew mare Alvear and is a half-brother to Sangrita (Mr. Greeley), an
unraced two-year-old filly, and a yearling filly by Elusive Quality.