DEL MAR, Calif. – If not for inconvenient changes in surface and distance on Saturday at Del Mar, The Chosen Vron would have his rivals over a barrel in the $100,000 Cary Grant Stakes. After all, he scored decisive stakes victories in his two most recent starts against key rivals he will meet again Saturday. The Chosen Vron defeated None Above the Law last out on turf; he defeated Big City Lights two starts back in a route on dirt. Therein lies the rub – the Cary Grant is a dirt race around one turn, and affords both None Above the Law and Big City Lights a realistic opportunity to turn the tables. The Cary Grant is a California-bred stakes at seven furlongs. :: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports The Cary Grant attracted three multiple stakes winners. The Chosen Vron is 7 for 11, including six stakes wins; None Above the Law is 6 for 21 with five stakes wins; Big City Lights is 3 for 4, a two-time stakes winner and the speed of the Cary Grant field. The Chosen Vron has won six dirt races, but trainer Eric Kruljac believes he is better on turf. “He’s run so well both times on grass, I think his favorite surface is grass,” Kruljac said. Last time out, The Chosen Vron won the California Flag Stakes on the Santa Anita downhill course while defeating None Above the Law by 1 1/4 lengths. Kruljac will nominate The Chosen Vron to the Grade 2 Seabiscuit, a turf route Nov. 26 at Del Mar, but intends to start him Saturday. Hector Berrios rides The Chosen Vron, who has a main-track score to settle with None Above the Law. When they met in the 2021 Real Good Deal on dirt at Del Mar, None Above the Law won by more than five lengths. For hard-knocking None Above the Law, surface and distance hardly matter. “He’s one of those throwback types,” trainer Peter Miller said. “He runs any surface, any distance, and never disappoints.” Although he has not won since the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby in 2021, None Above the Law has been running well against good company. Flavien Prat rides None Above the Law, who will rally from off the pace. Meanwhile, the horse with the tactical advantage is front-runner Big City Lights. After winning his first three starts, all in sprints, Big City Lights stretched to two turns in a California-bred route stakes at Los Alamitos. He set the pace and got worn down by The Chosen Vron. Saturday in the Cary Grant, Big City Lights benefits by a return to a sprint. “I think he prefers one turn,” trainer Richard Mandella acknowledged, while leaving open the possibility of a route attempt in the future. Mandella said Big City Lights has trained well for his first start in two months. Juan Hernandez rides. The Cary Grant was won by longshots the past two years: Loud Mouth ($28) in 2020, Principe Carlo ($39) last fall. This year’s bomb could be stakes-placed route-to-sprint Coalinga Road, trained by Carla Gaines and ridden by John Velazquez. Finneus and Surfing Star also were entered. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.