In a field of four sophomores, it was readily apparent from the outset that I'll Stand Taller and Juan Hernandez were not going to allow impressive recent maiden winner Laurel River and Abel Cedillo to have their way on the front end as they blazed an opening quarter mile in 21.32.

With I'll Stand Taller shrinking noticeably a quarter mile out, The Chosen Vron was making an eye-catching move at the rail blew by Laurel River with a furlong to run.

“I could see they were going really fast, those two horses up front, and by the quarter pole my horse was right on top of them, he really kicked well in the stretch,” said Rispoli. “When I first came here, (J. Eric Kruljac) gave me so many winners, I'm happy to finally give him a stakes win.”

The Chosen Vron, fresh off a sparkling 6 ½-furlong win versus Cal-Breds in the Echo Eddie Stakes on April 3, was off as the 3-5 favorite and paid $3.20 and $2.10 with no show wagering.

“Short fields sometimes end up being like match races,” said breeder and part owner Kruljac. “I knew my horse could rate. … Doug (O'Neill) had a horse in there that looked like he would use as the rabbit, so that kind of eliminates the match race. He softened them up early and I don't know if it mattered, with the way the horse fired today. He's a pretty exciting horse, when you breed them yourself there's this extra pride that goes into it. I'm as excited as I can be.”

Owned J. Eric Kruljac, Robert Fetkin, John Sondereker and Richard Thornburgh. The Chosen Vron, who is out of the Tiz Wonderful mare Tiz Molly, picked up his first graded stakes win and has three wins from four starts. With the winner's share of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $210,600.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Laurel River dominated the early wagering but went off as the second choice at 6-5 and paid $2.20 to place while finishing 10-lengths in front of Wipe The Slate.

Trained by Doug O'Neill and ridden by Mario Gutierrez, Wipe The Slate finished 14 ½ lengths in front of his stablemate I'll Stand Taller.

Complete fractions on the race were 21.32, 44.29 and 1:09.61.

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The Chosen Vron (Vronsky) seeks his first win in open company here. A dominant debut winner against fellow Cal-breds Dec. 27, the gelding checked in third behind Concert Tour (Street Sense) in the GII San Vicente S. Feb. 6 and captured the state-bred Echo Eddie S. last time Apr. 3.

Wipe the Slate (Nyquist) earned his diploma at second asking in Arcadia Dec. 26, but could only manage sixth behind GI Kentucky Derby hero Medina Spirit (Protonico) in the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. Jan. 30. A non-factor seventh last time in Aqueduct's GIII Gotham S. Mar. 6, the chestnut has been gelded in the interim and adds blinkers for this start.

Rounding out the quartet is Wipe the Slate's stablemate I'll Stand Taller (Square Eddie). A second-out graduate in Cal-bred company Mar. 20, the Reddam homebred was fourth last time in the state-bred Silky Sullivan S., which was rained off the turf and onto the Golden Gate synthetic Apr. 25.

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Named for the late Hall of Fame trainer who conditioned 1978 Triple Crown winner Affirmed, the Barrera, originally run at Hollywood Park in 1981, will be run for the 41^st time and for the eighth time at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Juddmonte Farms' homebred Laurel River, a sharp 6 ½-furlong maiden winner in his second start on April 3 rates a solid chances as well.

The Chosen Vron, a chestnut gelding by the recently deceased Vronsky, was a scintillating first-out maiden winner at Santa Anita on Dec. 27, taking a 6 ½-furlong maiden special versus California-breds by 6 ¾ lengths.  Subsequently third, beaten 3 ¼ lengths by top sophomore Concert Tour going seven panels in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes Feb. 6, The Chosen Vron was much the best in a 1 ¼-length win versus statebreds in the 6 ½-furlong Echo Eddie Stakes April 3.

Owned by Kruljac, Robert Fetkin, John Sondereker and Richard Thornburgh, The Chosen Vron is out of the Tiz Wonderful mare Tiz Molly.  With two wins and a third from three starts, he has earnings of $150,600.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Laurel River, a Kentucky-bred colt by Into Mischief, out of the Empire Maker mare Calm Water, Laurel River pressed the early pace en route to a resounding 4 ¼ length maiden score, earning a Barerra-best 92 Beyer Speed figure in the process.  In what will be his third start, Laurel River figures to be head and head in the betting with The Chosen Vron.

GRADE 3 LAZARO BARRERA, WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS
IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 3 of 10  Approximate post time 1:30 p.m. PT

1. Wipe the Slate- Mario Gutierrez – 120
2. Laurel River – Abel Cedillo-120
3. The Chosen Vron –Umberto Rispoli- 124
4. I'll Stand Taller – Juan Hernandez-120

Early first post time for a 10-race card on Saturday, Preakness Stakes Day, is at 12:30 p.m.  PT. Admission gates will open early at 7 a.m., with Infield admission gates open at 9 a.m.  For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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Breaking alertly from the rail in a field of five, Collusion Illusion was unhurried early as Phantom Boss and Ragtime Blues disputed the early running heading to the far turn.  With Mike Smith encouraging Ragtime Blues, he assumed command a half mile out and appeared to get the jump on Collusion Illusion as he opened up a three length advantage a quarter mile from home.

“He had me a little worried there at the top of the stretch, but I think he's a pretty smart horse and Flavien has a lot of confidence in him,” said Glatt.  He's very athletic, there's no wasted action in his stride.”

Is the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5 a possibility?

“It's on our radar,” said Glatt, whose horse appeared to gallop out in front around the Club House turn by half a football field.  “We paid the late supplement ($3,000).  I don't know what's next.  I just wanted to get by today.  We'll need to stretch him out and figure out how to get enough points.”

A stirring three-length allowance winner going six furlongs off a 7 ½ month layoff on May 17, Collusion Illusion was off at 2-5 and paid $2.80, $2.10 and $2.10.

Owned by Dan Agnew, Rodney Orr, Jerry Schneider and John Xitco, Collusion Illusion, who is out of the First Dude mare Natalie Grace, picked up his second graded stakes win and now has four wins from five career starts.  With the winner's share of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $248,751.

“Mike Smith opened up a little at the turn, so I wasn't super confident, but I knew as soon as we turned for home, if we switched leads, he would give me a good kick,” said Prat, who is now three for three aboard “Collusion.”

Ragtime Blues, who had won two of his three starts and was trying stakes competition for the first time, offered little resistance late while finishing 3 ¼ lengths in front of longshot Howbeit.  Off at 2-1, Ragtime Blues returned $2.20 and $2.10.

Off at 43-1 with Umberto Rispoli, Howbeit paid $3.60 to show.

Fractions on the race were 21.90, 44.73 and 1:09.66.

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Bob Baffert's speedy Ragtime Blues, a winner of his last two starts, will get the first time services of Mike Smith and also figures prominently in what will be his fourth career start.

COLLUSION ILLUSION: Owner:  Dan Agnew, Rodney Orr, Jerry Schneider & John Xitco; Trainer:  Mark Glatt
An impressive winner of the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar in his second start on July 21, this Florida-bred colt by Twirling Candy was then eased in the Grade 1, 1 1/16 mile American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 27 and didn't resurface until May 17, whereupon he was a dazzling three-length allowance winner from off the pace going six furlongs.  With Flavien Prat engaged to ride him back, Collusion Illusion looms large in the Barrera.

RAGTIME BLUES: Owner:  SF Racing, LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stable, LLC, Stonestreet Stables, LLC, Frederick Hertrich, III, John D. Fielding & Golconda Stables; Trainer:  Bob Baffert
Second in his 5 ½-furlong debut at Los Alamitos on Sept. 21, this colt by Union Rags made his next start on April 24 at Oaklawn Park, as he led throughout and broke his maiden by a head going six furlongs.  Ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr., at Santa Anita on May 25, Ragtime Blues was the 4-5 favorite in a six furlong allowance, a race he again went gate to wire in, winning by 2 ¼ lengths.  With Smith taking over in his fourth start, he'll try to stretch his speed another sixteenth of a mile and will hope to hold the top choice off in deep stretch.

G3 LAZARO BARRERA STAKES
WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 9 of 12  Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT

1. Collusion Illusion—Flavien Prat—124
2. Ragtime Blues—Mike Smith—122
3. Phantom Boss—Tiago Pereira—124
4. Alcools—Abel Cedillo—122
5. Howbeit—Umberto Rispoli—120

First post time for a 12-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m.  For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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