ARCADIA, Calif. – The plan for The Chosen Vron to take it easy in April went out the window when the popular chestnut gelding worked four furlongs in a blazing 46.60 seconds last weekend under a hold by jockey Hector Berrios. “I wanted to freshen [The Chosen Vron] off his previous race, but thought better of it because he’s just feeling so good,” trainer Eric Kruljac said. Instead of two months between starts, waiting for a California-bred stakes in May, The Chosen Vron was supplemented to the $100,000 Kona Gold Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita. “He’s just training so sharp, he hasn’t been any better,” Kruljac said. Few sprinters in California are better. The Chosen Vron, a 16-for-21 millionaire 6-year-old with 15 stakes wins, seeks another on Saturday against Grade 2 winner Forbidden Kingdom and classy comebacker Express Train. :: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports Seven entered the Kona Gold, a 6 1/2-furlong race that lost Grade 3 status this year after averaging 4.6 starters the past five editions. Others in the Kona Gold include Prince Abu Dhabi, See Through It, Happy Jack, and Zeus’ War. The Kona Gold is race 4 on Saturday; race 8 is Grade 3 Royal Heroine, a turf mile for fillies and mares including front-runner Stay and Scam and graded stakes winner Bellabel. The star Saturday is The Chosen Vron, who won the Grade 3 San Carlos on March 16 and was expected to wait for the Thor’s Echo on May 25. The Chosen Vron was not even nominated to the Kona Gold. “We were on the fence, at the last minute we had to supplement [for $2,000],” Kruljac said. “He’s training just as sharp as he’s ever been, and it would be another two or three workouts to get him ready for the Thor’s Echo.” The Chosen Vron has won $1,299,678 and is on a three-race win streak following a fifth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. He drew midfield Saturday while main rival Forbidden Kingdom is stuck on the rail for his first start since winning the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes on turf Dec. 30. Forbidden Kingdom’s four-month gap between starts is typical. “He’s just had issues we had to deal with all along, no big ones,” trainer Richard Mandella said. From the rail under jockey Juan Hernandez, Forbidden Kingdom must use his speed, while likely pressured by The Chosen Vron. Express Train, whose $1,443,800 earnings tops the field, makes his first start since fall 2022. After three graded stakes wins in early 2022, including the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap, Express Train tailed off. “He’s never had a break, he’s never had any time off,” trainer John Shirreffs said regarding the 7-year-old. “It’s not like we had to do any surgery or anything like that.” Mike Smith rides Express Train, and Shirreffs acknowledged the two-turn specialist is up against it at one turn Saturday. “He’s against some pretty good sprinters. This is a prep race, hopefully, for the Gold Cup.” The Grade 2, 1 1/4-mile Hollywood Gold Cup is May 27. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.