Even though The Chosen Vron brought a seven-race winning streak into the July 29 Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) at Del Mar, he faced a formidable task. The California-bred’s string of victories had come exclusively in state-bred stakes, and he faced a field that included the past two Crosby winners, American Theorem and Dr. Schivel , as well as Anarchist , who had most recently run second to champion male sprinter Elite Power .
As if that weren’t difficult enough, on the turn of the six-furlong race, The Chosen Vron had to check sharply. But The Chosen Vron detests losing and wasn’t about to let mere traffic discourage him. Instead, he launched into a tough tussle with Dr. Schivel and Anarchist, who proved almost equally game.
The Chosen Vron edged those two to become a grade 1 winner as well as a millionaire. He also earned a “Win & You’re In” berth to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), which this year will be held at Santa Anita, the site of five of The Chosen Vron’s seven consecutive Cal-bred stakes.
“He stepped up,” said Eric Kruljac, who trains The Chosen Vron and is a co-owner and co-breeder.
After The Chosen Vron captured the May 28 Thor’s Echo Stakes at Santa Anita, Kruljac acknowledged that it might be time to try graded company. The 5-year-old gelding had done so successfully as a 3-year-old in 2021, taking the Lazaro Barrera Stakes (G3) and Affirmed (G3), in the latter defeating subsequent multiple grade 1 winner Defunded . But some ailments and a couple of layoffs had occurred since then, and Kruljac patiently gave The Chosen Vron time whenever he needed it.
The Chosen Vron went off as the 4-1 third choice in the talented Crosby field. Bettors made Dr. Schivel the 9-5 favorite, not surprisingly since that 5-year-old horse was practically perfect at Del Mar. In addition to the Crosby, Dr. Schivel broke his maiden at the track and won the Del Mar Futurity (G1) at 2 in 2020. He had missed winning the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, run that year at Del Mar, by just a nose.
When the gate opened in the Crosby, several sprinted to the front, with Peaceful Waters taking the lead and responsible for the initial fractions of :21.92 for a quarter-mile and :44.42 for a half-mile. The Chosen Vron willingly sat in the second flight for jockey Hector Berrios, running easily in sixth.
All appeared well for the Cal-bred as the field headed into the turn. But then a traffic jam forced several runners in tight and caused Todo Fino on the rail to take up. The Chosen Vron had to check off of Todo Fino’s heels and angle around that runner.
“I had to pull back and go outside—I got bumped,” said Berrios.
Any horse could have been excused for giving up at that point, but that simply isn’t part of The Chosen Vron’s DNA.
“This horse is special,” said Berrios. “He just runs and I love to ride him. He’s very game and he makes it fun.”
Berrios should know because he had ridden The Chosen Vron in all seven of the Cal-bred stakes in the current streak. So when Berrios guided The Chosen Vron around Todo Fino, the gelding responded, squeezing between two horses and laser-focusing his attention on the two rivals ahead of him.
Dr. Schivel also hadn’t encountered the easiest of trips, as he had to race seven wide in the turn. He and Anarchist battled down the stretch, only to find The Chosen Vron ranging up to join them on their inside. The three raced as a team to the wire, but The Chosen Vron refused to lose, poking his head in front as they hit the finish.
The Chosen Vron stopped the timer in 1:09.24. Anarchist finished second, another head in front of Dr. Schivel in third.
Kruljac owns the gelding with John Sondereker’s Sondereker Racing, Robert Fetkin, and Richard Thornburgh, and they bred the gelding in the name of Tiz Molly Partners.
“He’s the most courageous horse I’ve ever seen,” said Thornburgh. “I wanted to see what he could do against the big boys, and he proved what kind of horse he really is.”
The partnership formed after Kruljac had trained The Chosen Vron’s dam, winner Tiz Molly , for Class Racing Stable. Several people wanted to keep TIz Molly as a broodmare.
“My wife, Ly, was the driving force for us breeding Tiz Molly,” Richard said. “We’d never bred any horses before Tiz Molly got hurt. She said, ‘Well, let’s breed her.’ I said, ‘Let me talk to Eric. We need someone who knows what he’s doing.’ That was a good move because Eric has managed the breeding and the training of the horse magnificently.”
Kruljac bred the mare to California sire Vronsky , getting such a superior competitor that co-owner Sondereker regularly calls The Chosen Vron the best and most consistent horse he has ever owned. In 17 starts, The Chosen Vron has 13 wins, one second, and two thirds. That has also earned him three Cal-bred championships: 2021 3-year-old male, 2022 older male, and 2022 turf horse.
Video: Bing Crosby S. (G1)
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