In a sport where many top performers leave racing early while in peak form for rewarding breeding opportunities, racing fans and trainer and co-owner Eric Kruljac can still celebrate The Chosen Vron , a 6-year-old gelding and 16-time win machine.
Racing in the $100,500 San Carlos Stakes (G3) March 16 at Santa Anita Park, the reigning California-bred Horse of the Year did what he always seems to do—well, what he has done 76% of the time in his 21 starts—rack up another victory.
Shooting to the lead from his inside post, he shrugged off pace pressure from Elwood Blues and kept a rallying Ghost of Midnight at bay as that one bid down the stretch. Confidently handled by jockey Hector Berrios, who kept his victorious chestnut mount well off the rail leaving the turn and down the stretch, The Chosen Vron cruised under the line a length in front. He zipped seven furlongs in 1:20.96, the fastest time in the San Carlos since Sahara Sky won the 2014 renewal in 1:20.84.
A proud Kruljac, who was named trainer of the year in California in 2023 and owns The Chosen Vron with Sondereker Racing, Robert Fetkin, and Richard Thornburgh, said his stable star is “keeping him in the game.”
“I’m in my 70s now,” he said of his age. “And you start wondering: when it would be a good time to throw it in? But as long as he’s around, I’m in.”
Bettors were all in on the popular sprinter, too. They backed him to 2-5 odds against a field of five other sprinters, whose combined earnings fell short of the almost $1.24 million he brought into the race. Saturday’s $60,000 first prize left him just shy of $1.3 million in earnings. He paid $2.80 to win.
Ghost of Midnight placed, 5 3/4 lengths in front of show finisher Elwood Blues. McLaren Vale was fourth, followed by I’m A Gambler and Super Chief in fifth and sixth.
Pedigree AND Racing Accomplishments
The Chosen Vron, bred in the Golden State by Tiz Molly Partners, is by the late Vronsky out of the Tiz Wonderful mare Tiz Molly . He is one of two high-performing horses produced by his dam, the other being $236,746 earner Tizhotndusty , by Unusual Heat.
“I never would have dreamed I would have had a horse of his caliber that just keeps going,” Kruljac said of The Chosen Vron. “I’ve had some good, almost brilliant horses that lasted for a while but not like this.”
A winner every year of his racing career, beginning with a maiden score at age 2, The Chosen Vron has since captured 14 black-type stakes races, four of them graded. In addition to Saturday’s San Carlos victory, he took the Affirmed Stakes (G3) and Lazaro Barrera Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita at age 3 in 2021 and the Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) last year at Del Mar as a 5-year-old. He has won races from six furlongs to 1 1/16 miles, multiple races on turf and on dirt. He has captured races on the lead and by rallying from last.
His sole defeat over his last 12 starts, dating back to September 2022, was a fifth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) last fall at Santa Anita.
With the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar this fall and next, perhaps he will get another Breeders’ Cup chance in his home state.
When his racing days are finally over, Kruljac seems to have a plan.
“Someday, maybe I’ll ride him into the sunset,” he quipped.
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