Bing Crosby Stakes 2024: The Chosen Vron’s Title Defense

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Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California, hosts the annual American Thoroughbred horse race known as the Bing Crosby Stakes. This Grade 1 race is open to horses three years of age and up, run on dirt at a distance of six furlongs, and currently offers a purse of $400,000 and many offtrack betting opportunities. 

Named after entertainer Bing Crosby, a founding partner of Del Mar Racetrack and a racehorse owner and breeder, the Bing Crosby Stakes has been a Grade 1 race since 2004. From 2007 to 2014, the race took place on a synthetic surface before returning to dirt in 2015.

Since 2000, the Bing Crosby Stakes has been a staple of the horse racing schedule and won by notable horses such as Kona Gold (twice), In Summation, Street Boss, Zensational, Amazombie, and Points Offthebench. This race is also a “Win and You’re In” event for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

The Chosen Vron’s Title Defense

The Chosen Vron, a 17-time stakes winner and the 2023 California-bred Horse of the Year, will defend his title in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar on July 27. It is expected for him to be the favorite on horse racing odds. 

The 6-year-old gelding was nominated for the $100,000 Bertrando Stakes at Los Alamitos but did not enter. Instead, co-owner and trainer Eric Kruljac decided to focus on the Bing Crosby Stakes, believing that the time between races would benefit The Chosen Vron.

“The main thing is going in fresh,” Kruljac said. “I think he would run his best race. We want to defend our title.” 

The Chosen Vron won his fifth consecutive stakes in the Thor’s Echo Stakes at Santa Anita on May 25, his most recent start. Kruljac believes the timing of the Bing Crosby Stakes will help The Chosen Vron perform at his best.

The Chosen Vron won the 2023 Bing Crosby Stakes, the most prestigious race of his career. However, he finished fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita last November, ending an eight-race winning streak. Since the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, The Chosen Vron has remained unbeaten, making him a strong contender for this year’s Bing Crosby Stakes.

Recent Victory in San Carlos Stakes

In addition to his upcoming title defense, The Chosen Vron notched his 16th career win in the $100,500 San Carlos Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park on March 16. The 6-year-old gelding, confidently handled by jockey Hector Berrios, won the race with a time of 1:20.96, the fastest in the San Carlos since 2014. 

Trainer and co-owner Eric Kruljac, along with Sondereker Racing, Robert Fetkin, and Richard Thornburgh, celebrated another victory for their star horse.

Pedigree and Racing Accomplishments

The Chosen Vron, bred in California by Tiz Molly Partners, is a descendant of the late Vronsky and the Tiz Wonderful mare, Tiz Molly.

 He is one of two high-performing horses produced by his dam, the other being Tizhotndusty, by Unusual Heat. Kruljac expressed his pride in The Chosen Vron’s enduring success, stating, “I’ve had some good, almost brilliant horses that lasted for a while but not like this.”