WON: Breeders Bowl Classic(G1), Sand Castle Classic(G1), CA Classic(G1), Maryland Special Handicap(G1), Toilet Scrubbers Anonymous Handicap(G2)

2ND: California Handicap(G1)

3RD: Bob Woodward Memorial(G1), Movieland Shiny Cup(G1)

Dual-Classic hero Call Of The Wild II
*Brings Older Horse Title back to Main Track Division*

By- Desperado

Call Of The Wild II took on all comers in the older horse dirt division, to secure older male horse of the year honors. Call Of The Wild II, trained by Gipper8, became the first dirt performer to secure the divisional Eclipse Award since Western Groom in 2002.

Call Of The Wild II first attracted the attention of the sim with a third in the G1 Princess Cup as a three year old, which he followed with a Grade One winning score in Kentucky. Still, most observers would have not tabbed the well-built son of War Chant, as the one to beat in the handicap division. When he went postward in the TS Anonymous Handicap in Michigan to start his four year old campaign, he was the seventh choice on the tote board, but powered away at the head of the stretch for an emphatic 2 ½ length score. His next goal would be the Big ‘Cap, as he headed to the West Coast, for a rematch with Silver Canuck. He couldn’t quite reach his rival, but the tides were set to be turned in their next race.

The Sand Castle Classic is the richest race of the year, and as such, attracted a field of fourteen graded winners. Call Of The Wild left no doubt who the best horse on that day was, taking the $6,000,000 race over Silver Canuck, Bone Roaming, and Wonderboy Cougar(IRE), three legends in their own right.

The Maryland Special proved an easy Grade One win for Call Of The Wild, as the son of Mammoth Jess, toyed with the field, winning by 2 ½ lengths. However, next on the schedule was a return date to California, and a rematch with Silver Canuck in the Movieland Shiny Cup. That battle never materialized, as Kissin Cousin II was well placed early to cruise by the field in the stretch. Call Of The Wild would have to settle for third on that day, bringing his career record in sunny California to 0/2.

The chance for redemption would be immediate though, as Gipper8 entered the big horse in the CA Classic. A 3 ¾ length victory would end the talk that the colt could not get it done in California. His 112 speed figure, would be his highest of the season.

After he had proven he could do it on the West Coast, Gipper only had one thought – the Breeders Bowl Classic. In need of a prep race, Gipper shipped the striking colt East, to the site of the Breeders Bowl – New York. It would be the Woodward Memorial, where Call Of The Wild could only earn a third place finish.

In that race, Call Of The Wild was introduced to top New York jockey, N. Lawton, who would be in the saddle on coronation day. Call Of The Wild would go to the Breeders Bowl Classic post as the favorite, as he faced many of the top three olds, in addition to the usual handicap group. As three year old Macho Niner set the early fractions, Call of The Wild was content to set just off the pace, next to Derby hero Anticosti and multiple G1 winner Wonderboy Cougar. As the field headed into the final turn, Call Of The Wild had launched his move, and was bearing down on Macho Niner. Fly For Buda, who had been in the early speed duel, started to fade, and Call Of The Wild was eye to eye with Macho Niner. As game as the three year old was, his more experienced rival swept by. Wonderboy Cougar was the best of the rest, but the day belonged to the Wild man.

Call Of The Wild would race once more in 2005, a disappointing effort on Del Penn Champions Day, but nothing could disgrace the season, in which he won the two biggest races in his division, and ducked no one. Call Of The Wild gives his sire, War Chant, a two year run as the sire of the older male horse of the year, following Allied Assault. Congratulations to Gipper and his eight million dollar winning Call Of The Wild.