Every decade seems to have its fan-favorite California-bred gelding, and The Chosen Vron certainly qualifies for the 2020s. He's following the likes of Native Diver, Ancient Title, Best Pal, and Lava Man, but none of those ever won the six-furlong Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) at Del Mar.
The Chosen Vron could add a second Crosby July 27 to his victory in 2023, but with the race being a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series event for the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), he didn't scare away too many. The 6-year-old son of Vronsky is slated to face eight rivals, despite the fact that he has won 13 of his last 14 races—all in stakes—dating back to September 2022. His only loss came when fifth in last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), something trainer Eric Kruljac blames himself for, saying, "I overfreshened him up."
By any standard, Kruljac has done a superb job managing The Chosen Vron's career and has been responsible for just about everything in the gelding's life. He co-owns The Chosen Vron with Sondereker Racing, Robert Fetkin, and Richard Thornburgh, with all of them also the breeders in the name of Tiz Molly Partners. The partnership was recently named the recipient of the inaugural Horseracing Partnership Award from the Thoroughbred Owners of California.
Fetkin, speaking for the partners, paid tribute to Kruljac at the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association awards banquet this past March when The Chosen Vron was named the 2023 Cal-bred Horse of the Year.
"Eric has always said it's the horse," Fetkin said. "But really and truly this man deserves a lot of credit because he's been patient with the horse. He's navigated this championship run for The Chosen Vron through the last several years."
Trainer Doug O'Neill will send out a pair against The Chosen Vron, who drew post 8 and will have regular rider Hector Berrios aboard. Anarchist will start from the rail under Kazushi Kimura, while Happy Jack has post 7 under Edwin Maldonado.
Anarchist finished a head back of The Chosen Vron in last year's Crosby and returned to capture the Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2) without The Chosen Vron in the field. In one start this year, Anarchist ran sixth after dueling for the lead early in the 6 1/2-furlong Kelly's Landing Stakes June 29 at Churchill Downs.
Happy Jack more recently faced The Chosen Vron, running second to him by three-quarters of a length in the April 27 Kona Gold Stakes at Santa Anita Park | BloodHorse.com Track Profile">Santa Anita Park. Happy Jack returned to win the June 1 Triple Bend Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita, minus The Chosen Vron.
Several out-of-state invaders are entered, including Kelly's Landing winner, Closethegame Sugar, who gets a new rider in Umberto Rispoli from post 6. Trainer Dan Blacker has the MyRacehorse contender Straight No Chaser, who comes in off a fourth in the Runhappy Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack and had won the 2023 Maryland Sprint Stakes (G3) before that by 7 1/2 lengths.
Among the locals, Bob Baffert is represented by Jackstown, undefeated in two starts, from post 9 with Juan Hernandez. The son of Speightstown is making his stakes debut. Bob Hess' Roll On Big Joe has been scratched.
Del Mar, Saturday, July 27, 2024, Race 10Entries: Bing Crosby S. (G1)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Anarchist (KY) Kazushi Kimura 122 Doug F. O'Neill 10/1 2 2See Through It (CA) Tiago Josue Pereira 122 Genaro Vallejo 30/1 3 3Straight No Chaser (KY) Antonio Fresu 122 Dan Blacker 6/1 4 4Giant Game (KY) Joseph Talamo 122 Peter Eurton 20/1 98 5Roll On Big Joe (FL) SCRATCHED 0 UNKNOWN - 5 6Closethegame Sugar (KY) Umberto Rispoli 122 Adam Rice 5/1 6 7Happy Jack (KY) Edwin A. Maldonado 124 Doug F. O'Neill 3/1 7 8The Chosen Vron (CA) Hector Isaac Berrios 124 J. Eric Kruljac 6/5 8 9Jackstown (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 122 Bob Baffert 15/1
