Retired Ghostzapper Continues to Impress as a Sire

Even though it did not result in victory, few Saratoga Race Course performances left a greater impression on us than Ghostzapper's third in the 2003 King's Bishop Stakes (G1). Tenth and more than 11 lengths off the lead at the first call, the bay was still back in eighth turning for home, but flew through the stretch to miss by a pair of necks to Valid Video and Great Notion. The King's Bishop was Ghostzapper's first black-type appearance. It was preceded by three wins in four starts in maiden special weight and allowance company, and it presaged a subsequent career that earned him a place among the greatest runners of the 21st century. Surprisingly, given that his King's Bishop effort suggested he would benefit from a longer trip, Ghostzapper was cut back half a furlong for his next start in the 6 1/2-furlong Vosburgh Stakes (G1). There, he again trailed early but was much closer by the time the field straightened for home and then powered clear to score by 6 1/2 lengths. Ghostzapper was not seen in action again until the following July, when he opened what would become a Horse of the Year campaign with a 4 1/4-length triumph in the Tom Fool Handicap (G2). Tested beyond sprint distance for the first time, he had 10 3/4 lengths to spare at the finish of the Philip H. Iselin Breeders' Cup Handicap (G3). A far sterner test came in the Woodward Stakes (G1), where he engaged in an epic, racelong battle with Saint Liam—destined to succeed Ghostzapper as Horse of the Year—finally edging that rival by a neck. None the worse for that effort, Ghostzapper set the seal on an outstanding season, going wire-to-wire to take the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) by 3 lengths in a new track and race record of 1:59.02. Ghostzapper remained in training at 5, but injury restricted him to just one start, a 6 1/4-length romp in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1). Now 26 years old, Ghostzapper was retired from stud last year. His presence was still very much felt this past weekend, however, with two stakes winners representing widely different profiles. On July 11, the 6-year-old gelding Ole Crazy Bone captured the Bowling Green Stakes (G2T) at 11 furlongs on turf, and the following day the 2-year-old filly Ghost Me took the My Dear Stakes over 5 1/2 furlongs on Woodbine's all-weather track. The victory of Ghost Me credited Ghostzapper with his 109th stakes winner in a career that has seen some commercial ups and downs. His initial stud fee was an advertised $200,000, an asking price that five years later had dropped as low as $20,000. He eventually regained a significant measure of his commercial status, with his fee reaching $85,000 from 2018 to 2021, before dropping to $75,000 for his final three years at stud. As those numbers reflect, once he had runners, Ghostzapper never quite reached the very top tier of the stallion elite, but he did settle into a career as a very solid supplier of high-class performers. Eighteen of his offspring won grade 1 events, among them Moira, 2024 champion turf female in the U.S. and 2022 Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old filly in Canada; Goodnight Olive, a two-time champion female sprinter for 2022-23; another champion female sprinter of 2014 in Judy the Beauty; Mystic Guide, winner of the 2021 Dubai World Cup (G1); and Shaman Ghost, 2015 champion 3-year-old colt in Canada and winner of the 2017 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) and 2016 Woodward Stakes (G1). Ole Crazy Bone has shown consistent improvement throughout his career. He broke through in black-type company with a win in the Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational Stakes (G2T) last September, scoring by 3 3/4 lengths in what proved to be his final start of 2025. His only 2026 outing prior to last weekend came in a May 21 allowance/optional claiming event at Churchill Downs, where he was beaten by three-quarters of a length. Ole Crazy Bone is out of Southern Gem, a Smart Strike daughter who won four times and earned black type with a third in the Pago Hop Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. The second dam, Cherie Yvonne (by Vice Regent), took the Summer Finale Handicap at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort. The family traces back to Ole Crazy Bone's fifth dam, Farsighted II, a granddaughter of the Queen Mary Stakes winner Pharsalia, who was imported from England in the mid-1970s. Ole Crazy Bone is only the third United States black-type winner, and the first U.S. graded winner, to descend from Pharsalia. Ole Crazy Bone follows Goodnight Olive and Ghost Bay as the third stakes winner by Ghostzapper out of a Smart Strike mare. Looking at the pedigree pattern, Ghostzapper's sire Awesome Again is by a son of Vice Regent with a second dam by Mr. Prospector, while Ole Crazy Bone's dam is by a son of Mr. Prospector out of a mare by Vice Regent. GHOST ME TRIUMPHS AT WOODBINE In contrast to Ole Crazy Bone, who has 21 starts under his belt, Ghost Me was making only her second start when taking the My Dear Stakes. A half sister to the 2025 Galway Stakes and 2024 Shady Well Stakes winner Pop Idol, Ghost Me is out of Unspurned, a Lemon Drop Kid mare who captured the 2015 Whimsical Stakes (G3) and 2014 Bison City Stakes. The second dam Banga Ridge earned black type with a win in the 2008 OBS Sprint Stakes. The third dam Time for a Crown also produced Sayaad, winner of the 2014 Forbidden Apple Stakes and 2013 Dance of Life Stakes. She is out of Calamitous Jen, ancestress of seven other stakes winners, including the 2010 Frizette Stakes (G1) heroine A Z Warrior, and graded winners Jojo Warrior and E Z Warrior. Bred like Ole Crazy Bone on a variation of the Ghostzapper/Mr. Prospector cross, Ghost Me also shows similar patterning, being inbred 3x5 to Deputy Minister (grandsire of Ghostzapper and sire of Ghost Me's fourth dam) and 5x4 to Mr. Prospector.