Dr. Venkman, Stronghold outnumbered by shippers in Bing Crosby
:quality(75))
DEL MAR, Calif. – The best sprinter in California is from Kentucky, apparently, based on the Midwest-centric field in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes on Saturday at Del Mar.
Only one Bing Crosby entrant raced in California last out, while six raced at Churchill Downs, one at Lone Star Park, and another at Saratoga. They’re all gunning Saturday for a fees-paid berth into the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. The six-furlong, $400,000 Crosby is a BC Challenge race.
Cornucopian is the early favorite off a fast Grade 3 win at Churchill and 2-for-2 record at six furlongs. Stronghold is a Grade 1 route winner shortening from seven furlongs. Dr. Venkman is a Del Mar specialist whose recent misfire was partly due to a wet track. Stakes winner Maximum Bourbon and graded-placed Listenupshance break from posts 1 and 2.
The Crosby is loaded with speed, and marks a return to preferred footing for Dr. Venkman, who was third in the BC Sprint last fall at Del Mar and is a four-time winner over the track, including a pair of Grade 2s. Dr. Venkman is a pace-dependent closer in a race that should unfold to his liking.
:: Play to Win at Del Mar! Get DRF Past Performances, Expert Picks and Clocker Reports
“One good thing is, it looks like there’s going to be a ton of speed,” trainer Mark Glatt said. “It should set up pretty good.”
It should set up great. Five of the nine entrants are front-runners or pace-pressers, including Maximum Bourbon, Listenupshance, Cornucopian, Gold Sweep, and Mad House. In order to support Dr. Venkman, a bettor only needs to forgive his comeback on June 27.
Dr. Venkman is based in California, but shipped to Churchill for the Grade 3 Bango Stakes. For the first time in his career, he caught a sloppy track and finished last of six.
“He went into it really well, so I don’t have anything to hang my hat on other than it was an off track and he really didn’t look comfortable at any point,” Glatt said. “I think he was a bit unsure of the footing. He’s come back to do very well.”
Umberto Rispoli rides Dr. Venkman, a top contender even if six furlongs is shorter than he prefers.
The distance challenge also applies to Stronghold, the 2024 Santa Anita Derby winner who is in peak form at age 5 for trainer Phil D’Amato. Stronghold scored a dead-heat comeback win in April at Oaklawn Park, followed by a convincing victory May 31 at Santa Anita in the seven-furlong, Grade 3 Triple Bend. Stronghold is the only Crosby entrant whose most recent start came in California.
The objective for Stronghold this year is to enhance his stallion credentials. “We want him to stand stud in Kentucky,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “He’s already won a Grade 1. We want him to be a multiple Grade 1 winner.”
D’Amato acknowledged that six furlongs is sharp for Stronghold, but said, “It’s a nice progression into the Pat O’Brien,” a Grade 2, seven-furlong race Aug. 29. Last year in the Pat O’Brien, Stronghold finished second to Dr. Venkman. Stronghold’s late-season objective is the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. Antonio Fresu is his rider.
D’Amato also entered Maximum Bourbon, a 4-for-6 stakes winner racing at a familiar distance. All six of his starts have been at the six-furlong distance of the Crosby.
“This is definitely his ideal distance, he’s training very well, and I loved his win at Churchill on Derby week,” D’Amato said.
Maximum Bourbon was purchased at a digital auction for $400,000 in spring. His stakes win April 30 at Churchill was his first start for D’Amato and his new owners. The Crosby has been his target since.
Although he is an obvious contender off Beyers of 102 and 103 his last two starts, Maximum Bourbon is buried on the rail with a ton of speed to his outside. Joel Rosario rides.
Directedly outside Maximum Bourbon is California-based front-runner Listenupshance, whose two Del Mar wins last year were against $20,000 maiden claimers and $50,000 claiming 3-year-olds. Listenupshance improved this year as a 4-year-old, and returns home for trainer Doug O’Neill off a terrific third-place finish in the Grade 3 True North at Saratoga.
“He didn’t leave there all that cleanly, and then Antonio [Fresu] got him up there into the race, and he fought. He ran a heckuva race, it was very, very impressive,” O’Neill said. “He’s doing great, not having to ship is a beautiful thing.”
Listenupshance has matured this year. “He’s always been a big, good-looking horse. I think mentally he hadn’t really figured it out,” O’Neill said. “The light bulb’s kind of gone on. He’s really turned into a top-class sprinter.”
Emisael Jaramillo rides Listenupshance.
Cornucopian, previously based in California and now in Kentucky with trainer Bob Baffert, is racing at Del Mar for the first time. He won the Grade 3 San Carlos in March at Santa Anita, misfired in a Grade 1 at Churchill, then ran back on the same track and won the Grade 3 Aristides with a 103 Beyer, tied with Listenupshance as the highest last-start figure in the Crosby field.
Juan Hernandez rides Cornucopian. Others in the field include For All Mankind, Gold Sweep, Mad House, and Moonlight. Favorites are 3 for 11 in the Crosby since Del Mar reinstalled dirt in 2015. The Crosby is race 10 on Saturday.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.