Bing Crosby attracting all kinds

DEL MAR, Calif. – While the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes on Saturday, featuring champions Beholder and Stellar Wind, is certainly the marquee race of the week at Del Mar, the weekend’s other Grade 1, $300,000 race, the Bing Crosby, looks as though it will have a strong, deep field of sprinters for its 71st running on Sunday.

Lord Nelson and Subtle Indian, first and second in last month’s Grade 1 Triple Bend at Santa Anita, head a prospective field that includes the hard-hitting Midwest invader Alsvid and the fleet 3-year-old Justin Squared.

The Bing Crosby is at six furlongs, a furlong shorter than the Triple Bend.

Lord Nelson completed his serious preparation for the Bing Crosby when he sped five furlongs in 59 seconds on Monday under jockey Rafael Bejarano.

“Perfect,” trainer Bob Baffert said as Lord Nelson completed his work, going from the half-mile pole out to the seven-furlong pole.

Bejarano is the regular rider for Lord Nelson, but he will be at Monmouth Park on Sunday to ride American Freedom for Baffert in the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Invitational. So, Flavien Prat will substitute on Lord Nelson, Baffert said.

Baffert also will run Justin Squared, who flew five furlongs out of the gate Sunday in 58 seconds, the best time of 87 at the distance.

Subtle Indian also worked five furlongs Sunday and was timed in 1:00.60.

Others expected for the Bing Crosby include Dream Saturday, Home Run Kitten, Indexical, Kaabraaj, and possibly Cherubim.

Dream Saturday worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 on Monday for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, and Home Run Kitten went five furlongs in 59.80 seconds for trainer David Hofmans.

Masochistic, one of this circuit’s top sprinters, is bypassing the Crosby to await the Grade 2, $200,000 Pat O’Brien at seven furlongs on Aug. 27. He was not even nominated to the Crosby. He worked a half-mile in 48.60 seconds on Sunday for trainer Ron Ellis.

Baffert nominated Drefong to the Crosby but said he is being pointed to the Grade 1 King’s Bishop at Saratoga on Aug. 27.

Small field for Hirsch

Only eight were nominated to the Hirsch, and the presence of Beholder and Stellar Wind is keeping the field small. Only Divina Comedia and The Dream are certain to challenge them. Richard Mandella, who trains Beholder, also nominated Juno and Off the Road and said both are “possible” to run.

Off the Road worked three furlongs in 36.80 seconds on Monday.

Juno and Off the Road both were two-time Group 1 winners in their native Brazil. The Dream, trained by Hollendorfer, was a two-time Group 1 winner in her native Chile. She will be making her first start in this country in the Hirsch.