California-bred millionaire The Chosen Vron notched his 16th stakes win Saturday when prevailing in the $100,000 Kona Gold Stakes for older horses going 6½ furlongs at Santa Anita.
With Hector Berrios in the irons, The Chosen Vron (1-5) tracked leader Forbidden Kingdom down the back stretch, seized the lead on the turn and then outran a stubborn Happy Jack (18-1) through the stretch to prevail by three-quarters of a length. Happy Jack, making his first start since last July for trainer Doug O’Neill, finished five lengths clear of third-place finisher Express Train (11-1).
Trained and co-owned by Eric Kruljac, The Chosen Vron won in a final time of 1:14.82. He paid $2.40 for the popular victory.
Forbidden Kingdom, who finished last, went the opening quarter mile in :21.95 with The Chosen Vron a half-length back to his outside in second before surging past the early pacesetter on the turn and completing a half mile in :44.36. Then a new challenger emerged to his outside in Happy Jack.
A veteran of the 2022 Triple Crown, Happy Jack under Frankie Dettori drew even with The Chosen Vron near the three-sixteenths pole. In only a matter of strides, The Chosen Vron regained control for good to make it three stakes wins in as many starts this year.
“It was always the idea to stay in second and let someone else take the lead,” Berrios, a native of Santiago, Chile, said through an interpreter. “At the three-eighths pole, he was pretty comfortable. …Frankie Dettori put pressure on me, so I was just very careful that I didn’t let him pass and leave my horse intimidated. But my horse has such vitality.”
Express Train, the 2022 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) winner who making his first start in almost 19 months for trainer John Shirreffs, was third, five lengths behind Happy Jack.
The Chosen Vron improved to 22: 17-1-2 with $1,359,678 in earnings for Kruljac and co-owners Sondereker Racing, Robert S. Fetkin and Richard Thornburgh. Bred in California by Tiz Molly Partners, The Chosen Vron is a 6-year-old gelding by Vronsky out of the Tiz Wonderful mare Tiz Molly.
In two previous starts this year, both at Santa Anita, The Chosen Vron won the California Cup Sprint going six furlongs Jan. 13 and the San Carlos (G3) at seven furlongs on March 16.
Dating back to September 2022, The Chosen Vron has won 12 of 13 starts with the lone defeat being a fifth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) last November at Santa Anita.
The Chosen Vron was a $2,000 supplemental entry for the Kona Gold. Kruljac had initially planned to wait for the six-furlong Thor’s Echo for state-breds on May 25. The Chosen Vron forced Kruljac to call an audible following a sizzling four-furlong in :46.80 last Saturday at Santa Anita.
“It’s been incredible,” Kruljac said. “It has been more a matter of getting out of his way and reading him. Just letting him tell me when he’s ready to fire. The last two races he’s done that, he’s delivered.”
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