ARCADIA, Calif. - The Chosen Vron became a graded stakes winner for the first time with an impressive stretch run in Saturday’s Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera Stakes for 3-year-olds at 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita. As of Sunday, there was no immediate urgency to test the lightly raced gelding in a more prominent race later this spring.

Trainer and co-owner Eric Kruljac said Sunday that the $175,000 Real Good Deal Stakes for California-bred 3-year-olds at seven furlongs at Del Mar on July 30 may be next for The Chosen Vron.

Total betting on the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore on Saturday was a record $68.69 million, up 8.6 percent over the record set in 2005 for the same race and up 10.7 percent over the total amount bet the last time it was held on its traditional date, in 2019, according to charts of the races.

Complete order of finish from the 146th running of the Preakness Stakes on May 15, 2021, at Pimlico.

1st Rombauer
2nd Midnight Bourbon
3rd Medina Spirit
4th Keepmeinmind
5th Crowded Trade
6th Unbridled Honor
7th France Go de Ina
8th Risk Taking
9th Concert Tour
10th Ram

Sunday’s opening-day card at Century Mile was canceled due to unforeseen protocols imposed by Alberta Health Services.

“Unfortunately, we had some strict stipulations added to our exemption at the eleventh hour that made it impossible to race on Sunday,” said Matt Jukich, racing manager for Century Mile.  “We are confident we will be able to work with these new guidelines and plan on being ready for our next scheduled race day on Friday, May 21.” 

Total handle on the 14-race card at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore on Friday was up 29.6 percent over the record total handle on the card in 2019, the track announced.

Total handle was $27.68 million, Pimlico said, a $6.33 million increase over the 2019 record of $21.35 million, also set on a 14-race card.

The Friday card included four graded stakes, including the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, and two additional stakes. Pimlico’s owner, 1/ST, has been building up the Friday card over the past decade as a prelude to Saturday’s Preakness card.

Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit, the 9-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday's Preakness Stakes, was the 3-1 second choice in early wagering as of 6:15 p.m. Eastern on Friday. 

Midnight Bourbon, sixth in the Derby, is the 5-2 favorite and also the chalk in the Black-Eyed Susan/Preakness Double will-pays. The double combining Black-Eyed Susan winner Army Wife (#1) and Midnight Bourbon (#5) would return $46.80 for a $2 wager. 

Jockeys Deshawn Parker and Luis Quinones will be honored between the fifth and sixth races on Sunday at Santa Anita as recent recipients of the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award.

Quinones, who has not ridden since June, was the 2020 honoree, but a ceremony was not held last year because of the pandemic. Quinones, 42, was second in the nation in races won in 2019 with 314.

Rock Your World, the Santa Anita Derby winner who was 17th in the Kentucky Derby on May 1, worked five furlongs in 1:01 on Friday at Santa Anita for a potential start in the Belmont Stakes on June 5 at Belmont Park.

The workout was the first for Rock Your World since the colt was the 9-2 second choice in a field of 19 in the Kentucky Derby, but encountered trouble early in the race and was beaten 24 1/2 lengths by Medina Spirit.

Rock Your World races for Hronis Racing and Michael Talla and trainer John Sadler.

Rightandjust, who was an allowance winner last Sunday at Lone Star Park, is being pointed to the $300,000 Texas Derby at Lone Star, trainer Shane Wilson said Thursday.

The new 1 1/16-mile race will be part of the Lone Star Million Day program on May 31.

Rightandjust, who invaded from Louisiana Downs, sat off the pace in the allowance and went on to a 3 1/2-length win. He covered the mile in 1:38.35 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 79.

Empire of Gold’s path back to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint will swing through Kentucky.

Trainer Terry Eoff said Friday that the Lone Star Park-based runner is being pointed to the $125,000 Aristides on May 29 at Churchill Downs.

The race will be run at six furlongs, the same distance over which Empire of Gold won an Oaklawn allowance in his most recent start April 30. He set a quick pace and won by 1 1/2 lengths, covering the distance in 1:09.13 and earning a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 96.