Crazy Wow trotted home a harness racing winner in Saturday's $185,000 Cleveland Trotting Classic, dethroning last year's champion Obrigado, and continues to march through the national FFA trotting ranks.
The son of Crazed entered the Classic off consecutive victories in the $150,000 Maxie Lee Invitational at Harrah's Philadelphia and the $200,000 Charlie Hill Memorial Trot at Scioto Downs, scoring in both by leading his competition from gate to wire. Crazy Wow showed versatility by flying past his competition in a thrilling stretch drive to win by ½-length in 1:52.3.
The impressive clocking equaled the all-age trotting track record at Northfield Park.
Crazy Wow ($9.40) started from post two and sat second behind Obrigado (Mark MacDonald) through solid fractions of :26.4, :56 and 1:24.1. Race favorite, Resolve (Ake Svanstedt) sustained a strong first-over bid and was slightly in front through the final turn, allowing Crazy Wow enough room to shift to the outside.
"The trip worked out perfect. I got to loom the danger the whole way," said winning driver Chris Page. "When I got him out he showed he was a real horse and knew what to do."
The race time replaces the 1:53.2 time of 2015 Cleveland Trotting Classic winner Daylon Magician (Jack Moiseyev) as the fastest mile ever on the Flying Turns for a five year-old and up trotting horse, and equaled the all-age Northfield trotting record of Muscle Up The Goal (Aaron Merriman).
Saturday's win is Crazy Wow's third win this year and 18th lifetime score, increasing his bankroll to $1,865,064 for owners Our Horse Cents Stables, Stable 45, J&T Silva Stables and Deo Volente Farms and trainer Ron Burke.
Completing the $185,000 Cleveland Trotting Classic were Resolve, Obrigado, Maestro Blue Chip, Il Sogno Dream, Fly Jesse Fly and Will Take Charge. Homicide Hunter was scratched from the event due to sickness.
"He (Crazy Wow) is having a great 2017 campaign," explained Page. "I look for a very, very big year from this horse."
Ayers Ratliff