Offlee Wild, winner of the Suburban (gr. I) and Massachusetts (gr. II) Handicaps, has been purchased by Sheikh Mohammed's Darley and will stand at Darley at Jonabell in 2006. The 5-year-old son of Wild Again is being pointed towards the Aug. 6 Whitney Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga before going for the Breeders' Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge (gr. I) for current owner AZ Azalea Stables.
Offlee Wild won the Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park in his 3-year-old debut, then finished fourth in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. I) at Gulfstream. He was then third in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland.
As a 4-year-old, Offlee Wild won the Massachusetts Handicap at Suffolk Downs, and this year posted his finest performance, coming wide to land the Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park. He also won the Excelsior Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. III) by 8 1/2 lengths at Aqueduct. He has won four of his last six starts and boasts a career record of six wins from 18 starts and earnings of $968,825.
Bred by Dorothy A. Matz, Offlee Wild was purchased for $325,000 as a yearling at the 2001 Keeneland September sale. He is out of the winning Seattle Slew mare Alvear, who is a half-sister to prominent stallion
Dynaformer. This is the Golden Trail family whose members include leading Japanese sire Brian's Time.
Jimmy Bell, president of Darley USA said, "To have the services of a stallion prospect who broke his maiden at two, won graded races at three, four, and five, and having a perennial leading sire in the second dam opens up limitless possibilities for breeders. Offlee Wild's grade I triumph in the recently run Suburban only highlights his class and versatility.
"Having Dynaformer in the second dam gives us all tremendous confidence concerning his potential siring ability."
Offlee Wild's stud fee will be set at the conclusion of his racing career.
