Collusion Illusion takes on older in Bing Crosby Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – A muddled sprint division could crystallize Saturday at Del Mar if an upstart 3-year-old or a surface-switching turf horse handle tougher rivals and unfamiliar footing.

Collusion Illusion has never faced older stakes rivals, and Wildman Jack has never raced on dirt, yet they are key entrants in the six-furlong Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes, typically among the toughest dirt sprints of the season in California. This year, not so much.

Ten entered the $250,000 Bing Crosby, a Win and You’re In for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, and the trainer of Collusion Illusion offered a candid assessment of the lineup.

“I can’t be afraid of anything in that race,” Mark Glatt said.

:: Get DRF's Betting Strategies for Del Mar's weekend cards

Especially not with news that pre-race favorite McKinzie, a multiple Grade 1 winner, will scratch and wait for the Grade 2, seven-furlong Pat O’Brien Stakes on Aug. 29. That leaves a field of nine and many unanswered questions in the Bing Crosby.

Collusion Illusion ranks among the favorites while facing older stakes runners for the first time, with a career-high Beyer of just 91. Wildman Jack is faster, yet all nine of his starts have been turf.

Lexitonian, scratched at the gate a week ago in the Grade 1 Vanderbilt at Saratoga, arrived early this week and figures as a contender based on form in the Midwest. The field also includes stakes winners Law Abidin Citizen, Anyportinastorm, Desert Law, Fashionably Fast, and Heartwood. P R Radio Star, a sharp claiming veteran, also entered.

:: DRF's Del Mar headquarters – Stakes schedule, previews, recaps, past performances, and more

Collusion Illusion could have faced his own age group Saturday at Saratoga in the Grade 1 Allen Jerkens, but Glatt opted to stay home to face older after weighing the pros and cons, including “shipping, 2 for 2 on this [Del Mar] track, and Flavien Prat.”

“It’s hard to ignore those things,” Glatt said.

The question for Collusion Illusion: Is he fast enough? Every Bing Crosby winner the past 20 years previously earned a 98 Beyer or higher, which is seven points above Collusion Illusion’s career best.

What he does have is a 4-for-4 record in sprints and sharp works at Del Mar since winning the Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera in late June at Santa Anita.

Age is not an issue for Collusion Illusion. The 3-year-olds Zensational and Smiling Tiger won the Bing Crosby in 2009 and 2010; Goldencents finished second as a 3-year-old in 2013. However, Collusion Illusion rallies from behind, and that might be challenge due to a shortage of true speed the Bing Crosby field.

:: Get DRF's Betting Strategies for Del Mar's weekend cards

Enter the front-running turf sprinter Wildman Jack, a Grade 3 winner whose debacle three weeks ago at Keeneland is a toss. Wildman Jack finished last of 13 in the Grade 2 Shakertown.

“We’ll put a line through that,” trainer Doug O’Neill said. “It wasn’t ideal shipping conditions. It was hot and humid, and Mike Smith said as soon as he left there, he didn’t show a lot of energy.”

That race was the first time in his career that Wildman Jack completely bombed. O’Neill brought him home and, after consulting with owner Glen Sorgenstein, set sights on the Bing Crosby pending an important dirt workout on July 26.

How did the work go?

“It went exceptionally well. If he runs anything close to that work, he’s going to be a factor,” O’Neill said.

Under a 150-pound exercise rider, Wildman Jack sizzled 46.20 from the gate, the day’s fastest half-mile work by a full second.

Wildman Jack’s upfront style should play well in a field without genuine speed.

“From that outside post [8], hopefully he breaks really well and he’s very much involved if not on the lead,” O’Neill said.

Umberto Rispoli rides Wildman Jack. His top three Beyers are 97, 99, and 104. He also won a turf sprint at Meydan in Dubai in course-record time.

Lexitonian has had a busy week. He entered the Vanderbilt last Saturday at Saratoga, but everything went awry after Whitmore broke through the gate. During the extended time to reload Whitmore, Lexitonian got antsy inside the gate and sat down. He did not flip in the gate, according to trainer Jack Sisterson, but he was scratched.

Sisterson worked him a half-mile Sunday at Saratoga and shipped him to Del Mar on Monday. Lexitonian is fast enough on figures, having earned a 98 last fall and a 95 this spring. Drayden Van Dyke rides Lexitonian, who is likely to produce speed from the rail.

While an unspecified recent setback knocked 2019 Bing Crosby winner Cistron out of training, 2019 runner-up Desert Law is back to try again. His form is less imposing than a year ago. He also missed a workout in early July after he grabbed a quarter.

Desert Law has worked three times since, and his Beyers of 97 to 100 are fast enough to win the Bing Crosby. Law Abidin Citizen won an allowance sprint last out at 6 1/2 furlongs and probably would be better suited to the seven-furlong distance of the Pat O’Brien later this month.

Fashionably Fast finished second to McKinzie last out in the Grade 2 Triple Bend and also might prefer a distance farther than the six-furlong Bing Crosby.