Tag: Breeders’ Cup

Cal-Bred The Chosen Vron Takes ‘Win and You’re In’ Bing Crosby

The hometown hero got it done.

Facing an exceptionally deep field of sprinters in Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GI Bing Crosby S. at Del Mar, it was the California-bred The Chosen Vron (Vronsky) who got the money. He, however, is not nominated to the Breeders' Cup and would have to be supplemented for this fall's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint.

With the victory, the 5-year-old gelding matched a bar set earlier in the day by Eclipse champion male sprinter Elite Power (Curlin) with both horses stretching their respective winning streaks to eight.

He entered off a series of state-bred stakes races dating back to last summer at Los Alamitos. Running over both turf and dirt at exclusively California tracks, The Chosen Vron last raced at Santa Anita May 28 with a 5 1/2-length romp in the Thor's Echo S.

Away from the gate in good order, the chestnut settled in the second flight of horses behind pacesetters Peaceful Waters (Dialed In) and Todo Fino (Chi) (Verrazano). The field shuffled around as Todo Fino was pulled up into the far turn and The Chosen Vron had to angle out to avoid clipping heels. Caught between horses now in seventh as the opening quarter went in :21.92, he came through a generous gap to be part of a six-horse calvary charge at the top of the lane.

Only three remained with less than a furlong to run and The Chosen Vron had to fend off a pair of rivals to his outside as all three runners came to the line together. With just a head separating the trio, the son of Vronsky got the bob over The Anarchist (Distorted Humor) and the 2021 winner of this race Dr. Schivel (Violence).

“If the next Cal-bred race had been on the dirt, I probably would not have gone today,” winning trainer Eric Kruljac said. “I went back and forth and my foreman told me he would shoot me if I didn't run. So I thought we might take a shot.”

Pedigree Notes:

The Chosen Vron is one of five graded winners, two at the top level, for his sire Vronsky. Tiz Molly, a half-sister to the stakes-placed Modacious (Uncle Mo), has produced fillies by Clubhouse Ride in 2022-23. Modacious, in foal to Quality Road, sold for $600,000 at the 2019 Keeneland November sale. The Chosen Vron's third dam, Deputy's Delight, produced multiple graded stakes winner Delightful Kiss (Kissin Kris), as well as Canadian champion Delightful Mary (Limehouse).

 

Saturday, Del Mar
BING CROSBY S.-GI, $403,500, Del Mar, 7-29, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:09.24, ft.
1–THE CHOSEN VRON, 122, g, 5, by Vronsky
1st Dam: Tiz Molly, by Tiz Wonderful
2nd Dam: Deputie's Notebook, by Notebook
3rd Dam: Deputy's Delight, by French Deputy
1ST GRADE I WIN. O-Sondereker Racing LLC, Kruljac, J. Eric, Fetkin, Robert S. and Thornburgh, Richard; B-Tiz Molly Partners (CA); T-J. Eric Kruljac; J-Hector Isaac Berrios. $240,000. Lifetime Record: 17-13-1-2, $1,032,678. Werk Nick Rating: D. Click  for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Anarchist, 122, c, 4, Distorted Humor–Vicarious Won, by Elusive Quality. 1ST G1 BLACK-TYPE. ($75,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Ilium Stables, LLC; B-Centaur Farms, Inc. (KY); T-Doug F. O'Neill. $80,000.
3–Dr. Schivel, 122, h, 5, Violence–Lil Nugget, by Mining for Money. ($37,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEEJAN). O-Red Baron's Barn LLC, Rancho Temescal LLC, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Branch, William A.; B-William A. Branch & Arnold R. Hill (KY); T-Mark Glatt. $48,000.
Margins: HD, HD, 1 1/4. Odds: 4.50, 8.00, 1.80.
Also Ran: Kid Corleone, C Z Rocket, American Theorem, Sibelius, Hoist the Gold, Get Her Number, Peaceful Waters, Todo Fino (Chi), Spirit of Makena. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Charge It ‘Excellent’ In Final Whitney Breeze; West Will Power Tunes Up But Start TBD

Whisper Hill Farm's homebred Charge It went a half-mile in :48.77  Saturday morning on Saratoga Race Course's main track in his final tune up for next Saturday's $1-million Whitney (G1).

Trained by  four-time Whitney winning trainer Todd Pletcher, Charge It, enters the prestigious 1 1/8-mile test from a 4 3/4-length win in the 1 1/4-mile Suburban (G2) on July 8 at Belmont Park, where the son of Tapit registered a 106 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I thought it was excellent. He did it well in hand and looked good doing it. I've been very pleased with the way he's trained since the Suburban,” said Pletcher, who campaigned previous Whitney winners Left Bank [2002], Lawyer Ron [2007], Cross Traffic [2013] and Life Is Good [2022].

The Suburban victory was a redemptive one for Charge It, who was fourth in the Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1) on June 10 at Belmont after finishing fifth as the favorite in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) on April 22.

During his sophomore campaign, Charge It finished a game second to White Abarrio in his stakes debut in the Florida Derby (G1)  at Gulfstream Park, which propelled him to a start in the Kentucky Derby (G1) five weeks later. He finished 17th-of-20 in the Kentucky Derby, but made amends next out with a 23-length conquest of the Dwyer (G3) at Belmont Park, which garnered a career-high 111 Beyer.

“He's a horse that's always trained really strongly and shown hints that he's capable to run a big race,” Pletcher noted. “His Dwyer was brilliant. His Suburban, I thought, was his most professional race. He's starting to put it all together consistently. It's a very tall order going up against the best older horses in training, but we're happy with the way he's coming into it.”

Charge It is out of the Indian Charlie mare I'll Take Charge, whose Grade 1-winning and producing dam Take Charge Lady was the mother of 2013 Champion 3-Year-Old Colt Will Take Charge, Grade 1-winner Take Charge Indy and Charming – the dam of Grade 1-winning millionaire Omaha Beach and 2014 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Take Charge Brandi.

Gary and Mary West's Grade 1-winning Kentucky homebred West Will Power worked five-eighths in 1:02.24 in company with stakes-placed Tapit Shoes over the Oklahoma training track Saturday with an eye toward the Whitney.

Trained by Brad Cox and piloted through the breeze by Flavien Prat, the 6-year-old Bernardini horse worked to the outside of his sophomore stablemate, who was last seen finishing ninth in the Belmont Stakes (G1).

“It was good. They broke off a little slow, but finished up and galloped out great,” Cox said of the 5:40 a.m. (ET) breeze. “He always gallops out well – that's the best part of his works each week.”

Cox said West Will Power, last-out winner of the Stephen Foster (G1) on July 1 at Ellis Park, is not definite for the nine-furlong Whitney as of yet and that the millionaire multiple graded stakes winner could also come under consideration for the  1/1/4-mile, $1-million Jockey Club Gold Cup on September 2 at the Spa. Both the Whitney and Jockey Club Gold Cup offer a “Win and You're In” berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) in November at Santa Anita Park.

“It's a very prestigious race. It means a lot,” said Cox, regarding the Whitney. “We'll see how things unfold after this work and make a decision a little bit later. We'll speak with the West team and come up with a plan.

“We could come back here a mile and a quarter. I've always thought that might be something he wants to do,” Cox continued. “I'm just going to continue to watch him and make sure he's on top of his game.”

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WATCH: High-Class Hukum Prevails In ‘Win & You’re In’ King George VI & QEII Thriller

Shadwell Estate Co's homebred Hukum, a 6-year-old full brother to brilliant miler Baaeed, prevailed in an epic stretch battle with younger rival Westover in a stirring edition of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II QIPCO Stakes (G1) Saturday at Ascot.

The pair powered away from  3-year-old King Of Steel in the final furlong and furiously battled to the finish, with Hukum prevailing in a monumental effort for Jim Crowley, scoring by a nose outside of 4-year-old Westover. King Of Steel was 4 1/2 lengths back in third. Epsom Derby (G1)/Irish Derby (G1) winner Auguste Rodin, racing in last place, faltered nearing the home turn and was eased before finishing last as the 9-4 favorite in the 10-horse field.

Time for the 1 1/2 miles was 2:33.95 on turf rated as good to soft.

With the win, Hukum earned a guaranteed start in the $4-million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) in November at Santa Anita via the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In.

Hukum's victory came on the heels of his impressive comeback in May when he defeated last years' Epsom Derby winner Desert Crown the Brigadier Gerard (G3) at Sandown. He had been sidelined for 356 days after winning the Coronation Cup (G2) in  June 2022 at Epsom when the Owen Burrows-trained Sea The Stars horse sustained a potentially career-ending hind-leg fracture.

“I've always believed in him and even last year I said to Owen this could be a King George horse –he's out of his brother's shadow now,” Crowley told  ITV immediately after the race.

“It's a great training performance by Owen because he was off a year, and in fairness to (Shadwell owner) Sheikha Hissa she persisted with him to bring him back into training.

“It would've been very easy to retire him as a full brother to Baaeed. She had faith and it's great, that was something special.

“Westover got first run at me, but it gave me something to aim at. He was so tough, I never felt he was going to come off second best there.”

In a demonstration of heart and consistency, Hukum took his career line to 11-1-2 from 17 starts.

Bred in Ireland Hukum was produced by the stakes-winning Kingmambo mare Aghareed, a descendant of the late Sheikh Hamdan's blue hen mare Height Of Fashion. Full brother Baaeed, a six-time Group 1 winner who closed his racing career last year as the world's top-rated turf horse and the second-highest-rated horse in the world after achieving a mark of 135, stood his first season this at Shadwell's Nunnery Stud.

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Auguste Rodin Leads All-Star Cast For ‘Win And You’re In’ King George At Ascot

Auguste Rodin (IRE), winner of the 2023 Betfred (Epsom) Derby (G1), heads an all-star cast July 29 for the £1.25 million King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes (G1) at Ascot Racecourse. The winner will gain a guaranteed start in the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) via the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 80 stakes races whose winners receive automatic qualifying positions, with fees paid, into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

Britain's signature open-age flat race, run over 1 1/2 miles, has drawn a stellar lineup of 11 horses, seven of whom are group or grade 1 winners. The course condition at Ascot was changed to soft, good to soft in places, on Thursday after 17mm (0.67 inches) of rain.

Not only does 3-year-old Auguste Rodin meet older horses for the first time for owners Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, and Westerberg, but his opponents include the last three winners of the Coronation Cup (G1): Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tactful Finance & Stuart Roden's filly Emily Upjohn (GB), Shadwell Estate Co Ltd.'s Hukum (IRE), and La Pyle Partnership's Pyledriver (GB), who also won last year's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1).

Luxembourg (IRE) won the Irish Champion Stakes (G1) last year for Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith, while Juddmonte's Westover (GB) captured the Irish Derby (G1) in 2022 and landed the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1) in his latest start.

The other sophomore in the field, Amo Racing Limited's Kentucky-bred King of Steel, won the King Edward VII Stakes (G2) over course and distance at the Royal Meeting after finishing second by a half-length to Auguste Rodin in the Derby.

Auguste Rodin, who added the July 2 Irish Derby (G1) to his Classic haul, is one of four horses declared by trainer Aidan O'Brien. Stable jockey Ryan Moore has the mount. Point Lonsdale (IRE) and Bolshoi Ballet (IRE) complete the quartet for the same ownership group as Auguste Rodin and Luxembourg.

“Auguste Rodin is from the last crop of Deep Impact (JPN) and has always been a special horse,” said O'Brien. “The minute he won the Derby the plan was always to come back to Ireland for the Irish Derby and then going on to the King George if everything was okay.”

O'Brien has won the King George and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes four times, clinching his first success with Galileo (IRE), who also won the Derby and Irish Derby in 2001.

Only three sophomore colts have won the Ascot middle-distance prize since then, with older horses claiming 16 editions this century.

King of Steel almost caused a huge upset at Epsom in June at odds of 66-1 in his 2023 debut and first start for trainer Roger Varian.

“It was great that he could back up his performance in the Derby at Ascot,” the trainer said. “There was a lot of pressure on the horse going into Royal Ascot. He confirmed what a good horse he is and what a good horse he can be for us.

“We are looking forward to the King George. There is no reason to think he won't handle soft ground.”

Hukum returns to his favored distance after delivering a surprise defeat on 2022 Epsom Derby winner Desert Crown (GB) in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes (G2) in May after an injury layoff.

Trainer Owen Burrows said: “I don't think he has a lot to prove. We were all caught a little bit by surprise as to how he managed to beat Desert Crown, but he is right up there.”

Emily Upjohn dropped down in distance to take on another O'Brien star, Paddington (GB), over 1 1/4 miles in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes (G1) at Sandown three weeks ago and finished a half-length behind the 3-year-old.

Frankie Dettori, who missed that race because he was serving a ban, returns to the irons needing one more win to overtake the legendary Lester Piggott as the King George's most successful jockey. The duo are level with seven wins each.

Defending champion Pyledriver has had only one start since last year's Ascot success, winning the Hardwicke Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot in June.

“He has come on for his race and I couldn't be happier with him,” said William Muir, the 6-year-old's co-trainer with Chris Grassick.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winner of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes to start in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf. Breeders' Cup also will provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships.

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