The Chosen Vron plans easy schedule before Bing Crosby

ARCADIA, Calif. - The Chosen Vron, winner of the 15th stakes of his career at Santa Anita on Saturday, will not have a busy race schedule in coming months prior to an expected start in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar in the summer.

The Chosen Vron won his Grade 1 debut in the Bing Crosby Stakes last July, a victory trainer Eric Kruljac said remains a personal highlight.

“That’s the milestone moment of my career,” Kruljac said on Sunday. “That, and winning the Test.”

Kruljac, 71, won his first Grade 1 race with Leave Me Alone in the 2005 Test Stakes at Saratoga. The Chosen Vron was Kruljac’s second Grade 1 win in the Bing Crosby.

Del Mar has yet to announce its summer stakes schedule, but often runs the six-furlong Bing Crosby in late July or early August.

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In Saturday’s Grade 3 San Carlos Stakes at seven furlongs, The Chosen Vron led throughout as the 2-5 favorite, finishing a length in front of Ghost of Midnight.

On Sunday morning, The Chosen Vron showed to Kruljac that he rebounded quickly from his 16th win in his 21st career start.

“He was playing on the toe ring,” Kruljac said. “All indications are shiny.”

Co-owned by Kruljac, John Sondereker, Robert Fetkin, and Richard Thornburgh, The Chosen Vron has earned $1,299,678.

In 2023, The Chosen Vron won 6 of 7 starts, all in stakes, and was named the California-bred horse of the year in a ceremony held last week.

Prior to the Bing Crosby, Kruljac said races such as the $100,000 Thor’s Echo Stakes for statebreds at six furlongs on May 15, or the Grade 2 Triple Bend Stakes at seven furlongs on June 1 are options.

A start in one of those races, which will be run at Santa Anita, would provide The Chosen Vron with a lengthy gap leading to the Bing Crosby, a schedule Kruljac favors.

Finding a sufficient number of runners to hold the Thor’s Echo could be an issue. The $100,000 Tiznow Stakes for statebred milers was scheduled for February, but was canceled when the race failed to draw enough runners. The absence of the Tiznow led Kruljac to start The Chosen Vron in the San Carlos Stakes.

Kruljac described the Thor’s Echo as a goal.

“It will be easier, and that’s my preference,” Kruljac said. “We’ll find the right spots and go from there. We’ll go a race at a time.

“I’m hopeful things are going as they are now and we can defend our title in the Bing Crosby. He’s still holding his form.”

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