The Chosen Vron may be exiting California-bred stakes for the July 29 Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) at Del Mar, but he is riding a seven-race win streak that extends almost a year. The 5-year-old gelding is both fast and consistent.
After The Chosen Vron won his seventh consecutive Cal-bred stakes in the May 28 Thor’s Echo Stakes at Santa Anita Park, trainer, co-owner, and co-breeder Eric Kruljac was asked whether graded company might be next.
“I think running him at Del Mar, if I have six to eight weeks between races, we’ve got to try him one time,” Kruljac said.
The Chosen Vron won back-to-back graded races in 2021, defeating Laurel River in the Lazaro Barrera Stakes (G3) and Defunded in the Affirmed Stakes (G3). Bob Baffert trained Laurel River and Defunded, and the latter heads the 1 1/16-mile San Diego Handicap (G2) on the same card as the six-furlong Crosby.
Since then, Kruljac has frequently given The Chosen Vron time when he needed it.
“I’ve learned to be patient with all of them, but rarely do you get rewarded as much as we’ve had with this one,” Kruljac said.
Those rewards include trophies as the champion Cal-bred 3-year-old male of 2021 and the champion Cal-bred older male and turf horse of 2022.
Kruljac has another weapon in jockey Hector Berrios, who has ridden The Chosen Vron in each of those seven consecutive victories and is slated to be back aboard from post 4.
“The jockey and him really get along,” Kruljac said.
The Chosen Vron didn’t scare off the competition in the Crosby, which also offers a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win & You’re In berth to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1). Twelve have entered the race, including American Theorem , the 2022 Crosby winner.
American Theorem won the 2022 Triple Bend Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita and the Crosby back-to-back, but he hasn’t found the winner’s circle in three subsequent starts. He ran second in the seven-furlong Pat O’Brien Stakes (G2) at Del Mar and eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland.
Trainer George Papaprodromou then gave American Theorem some time off, bringing him back in a six-furlong allowance/optional claimer at Santa Anita June 16. American Theorem finished fifth and last, as Kid Corleone won in 1:08.85.
“They went fast and he needed one,” Papaprodromou said after that race.
For the first time, Umberto Rispoli will be riding American Theorem, who drew post 10. Rispoli replaces Joe Bravo, who sticks with Spirit of Makena .
Winner of this year’s Triple Bend May 27, Spirit of Makena is also trained by Papaprodromou. Spirit of Makena, who drew post 2, has won four of his five races, with one second. He broke his maiden at Del Mar last year, and prior to the Triple Bend he captured the San Carlos Stakes (G3). Both of his graded wins have come at seven furlongs.
American Theorem isn’t the only Crosby winner in the field. Dr. Schivel won the race in 2021 as a 3-year-old, and his Del Mar record is nearly perfect. At 2 in 2020, Dr. Schivel scored in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) after breaking his maiden at the track by 5 3/4 lengths. He added the Crosby and then missed winning the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, run that year at Del Mar, by the thinnest of noses.
Mark Glatt trains Dr. Schivel, who will start from post 11 under Juan Hernandez. Off for 14 months after finishing third in the 2022 Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1), Dr. Schivel has won an allowance race at Santa Anita and finished fifth behind Cody’s Wish in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park in his two races back.
Hoist the Gold (Brian Hernandez Jr., post 1) ran eighth in the Metropolitan after a rough trip. He finished second to Cody’s Wish in the May 6 Churchill Downs Stakes (G1) for trainer Dallas Stewart. Coming out of an allowance/optional claimer victory at Ellis Park, Hoist the Gold is making his Del Mar debut.
C Z Rocket brings age and experience to the Crosby. Now 9, he has started 40 times and won five stakes, including the 2020 O’Brien. C Z Rocket finished second in the 2020 and 2022 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, both times at Keeneland, third in the 2021 Crosby behind Dr. Schivel, and second to Spirit of Makena in this year’s Triple Bend.
Peter Miller trains C Z Rocket, who will be ridden by Kent Desormeaux from post 8, as well as Get Her Number (Mike Smith, post 6). Get Her Number ran second to American Theorem in last year’s Crosby and second by a head to Mind Control in the 2022 Cigar Mile Handicap (G1).
Trainer Doug O’Neill has two in the Crosby: Kid Corleone (Tiago Pereira, post 5) and Anarchist (Ramon Vazquez, post 7). Anarchist in his last three starts ran second in the Kona Gold Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita, won the Jacques Cartier Stakes (G3) at Woodbine, and ran second in the True North Stakes (G2) at Belmont.
Entries: Bing Crosby S. (G1)
Del Mar, Saturday, July 29, 2023, Race 10
- Grade I
- 6f
- Dirt
- $400,000
- 3 yo’s & up
- 6:30 PM (local)
