The Chosen Vron holds off Happy Jack in Kona Gold

ARCADIA, Calif. – Nothing against morning workouts, but The Chosen Vron prefers afternoon races. That is why trainer Eric Kruljac supplemented the veteran gelding to a stakes he originally had no intention to enter.

In the Santa Anita winner’s circle on Saturday after The Chosen Vron ($2.40) won the $101,000 Kona Gold Stakes, his 17th career win and 16th stakes, Kruljac said The Chosen Vron gave him no choice after he worked a bullet half-mile in 46.60 one week ago.

“Our read on him, his last couple workouts (was) we’d better pull the trigger now and let him stretch his legs,” Kruljac said. “He just told us he was ready, and we listened.”

The Chosen Vron stretched his legs 6 1/2 furlongs Saturday, winning the Kona Gold by three-quarters of a length over Happy Jack. Express Train finished five lengths back in third, while second favorite Forbidden Kingdom faded to last in the field of seven.

The Chosen Vron ran a quick 1:14.82 in the Kona Gold, which was not on his original itinerary after he won the Grade 3 San Carlos Stakes on March 16. “Our plan was to back off a little, maybe the Thor’s Echo (May 25), then Del Mar,” Kruljac said.

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But after jockey Hector Berrios worked The Chosen Vron last weekend, Kruljac supplemented the gelding for $2,000. Even though Kruljac did not think the Kona Gold was over until The Chosen Vron ran past Forbidden Kingdom on the turn, another thought was the race was all but official when the overnight came out.

It was bet accordingly. The Chosen Vron, odds-on, broke like a shot and sat comfortably in second while Forbidden Kingdom set the pace. It was exactly where Berrios hoped The Chosen Vron would be positioned.

“It was always the idea to stay in second and let someone else take the lead,” Berrios said afterward. Midway on the turn, The Chosen Vron cruised to the lead and Kruljac breathed a sigh of relief.

“Once Hector got a half-length in front, I could just tell we were pretty much home free,” Kruljac said.

But not quite. Happy Jack, making his first start since July 2023, had been dogging The Chosen Vron from the outside, and turning for home looked like he had a chance to upset. The Chosen Vron kept running. He always does.

Happy Jack ran very well in his comeback, and so did Express Train, who was using the stakes to prep for the Grade 2 Hollywood Gold Cup on May 27.

Kruljac will target The Chosen Vron for the Thor’s Echo next month, followed by the Grade 1 Bing Crosby on July 27 at Del Mar. The Chosen Vron won the Bing Crosby last summer.

“The Crosby is our No. 1 goal this year,” Kruljac said. He added he also would like another shot at the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. He finished fifth in the BC Sprint last year at Santa Anita.

The Chosen Vron has won 17 races and $1,359,678 from 22 starts. A 6-year-old gelding by Vronsky, The Chosen Vron is owned by Kruljac, John Sondereker, Robert Fetkin and Richard Thornburgh.

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