The $400,000, Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes Saturday at Del Mar supplies the winner an computerized entry into the Breeders’ Cup Dash this fall. The six-furlong dash is highlighted by the outstanding sprinter The Chosen Vron, who has a possibility to win the Bing Crosby for the second yr in a row.
In final yr’s Bing Crosby, The Chosen Vron went to publish at odds of 9-2 however he’ll doubtless be the betting favourite this yr based mostly on the truth that he’s gained 5 stakes races in a row going again to final November. Nevertheless, with 5 of the opposite eight contenders coming into this race off of victories, the result is much from set in stone. A type of coming into off a win is Blissful Jack, who was victorious final month within the Grade 2 Triple Bend Stakes. One other is Closethegame Sugar, who ships in from Kentucky after posting consecutive stakes wins together with the Kelly’s Touchdown Stakes 4 weeks in the past. Straight No Chaser gained the Grade 3 Maryland Dash Stakes in Might of final yr and has solely run as soon as since – a fourth within the Grade 3 Runhappy Stakes in Might – however he has a shot to rebound to stakes-winning type. Equally, Anarchist missed by a head within the 2023 Bing Crosby after which gained the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes earlier than taking 10 months off and returning to complete sixth within the Kelly’s Touchdown. Jackstown and Roll On Huge Joe each step into stakes competitors for the primary break day sturdy wins in allowance firm, whereas See By way of It has gained two races in a row and was third within the Grade 3 Palos Verdes Stakes in February. Big Recreation has not sprinted since January 2023. He gained the Grade 3 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap final July round two turns.
Evaluation and essential contenders:
Though The Chosen Vron enters this yr’s Bing Crosby Stakes off a win within the Thor’s Echo Stakes, the identical race he gained final yr previous to profitable this race, I consider Straight No Chaser can pull off the delicate upset through the use of his sensational early velocity. In April of 2023, Straight No Chaser earned a profession greatest 113 Equibase Velocity Determine in an allowance race when main from the beginning after which romping residence in “ridden out” vogue by 7 ¼ lengths. Seven weeks later, he duplicated the trouble with a 7 ¼-length win within the Maryland Dash Stakes, main from the beginning and ridden out to victory. In that race, he earned a 109 determine, which doubtless would have been a lot increased if he was requested to run more durable within the closing sixteenth of a mile. One thing went awry after that, as Straight No Chaser went on the sidelines till reappearing within the Runhappy Stakes in Might on the Belmont on the Huge A meet in New York. He completed fourth in that race, however I consider his effort might be completely ignored as a result of Straight No Chaser stumbled out of the gate from the within publish place and began final of 5, after which was rushed as much as lead earlier than tiring. In each his wins final April and Might, Straight No Chaser simply bought to the entrance from the beginning and that was the important thing to his dominating efforts. He had no such probability within the Runhappy. For the Bing Crosby he will get off the rail, and since delivery again to California, Straight No Chaser has put in some spectacular exercises which tells us he has all his velocity and can get the lead from the beginning with a clear break. From there he can play “come catch me,” and it’s essential to notice that the 113 determine he earned final April is similar because the 113 determine The Chosen Vron earned profitable this race final yr.
The Chosen Vron doesn’t want a lot speaking up as he’s gained 18 of 23 profession races together with 5 in a row, all stakes. After profitable the 2023 Bing Crosby with a 113 Equibase Velocity Determine, The Chosen Vron completed fifth within the Breeders’ Cup Dash. Simply two weeks later, The Chosen Vron gained the Cary Grant Stakes at Del Mar, incomes a brand new career-best 116 determine. That was the primary of 5 stakes race wins in a row, together with an effort that earned a 115 determine within the Kona Gold Stakes in April. There’s little doubt his greatest race is sweet sufficient to win this yr’s Bing Crosby, and the one query regarding whether or not The Chosen Vron is usually a repeat winner of this race is whether or not he can run down Straight No Chaser if that horse is allowed an uncontested lead for the primary half-mile.
Blissful Jack and Closethegame Sugar each can win Saturday however seem a tiny bit much less possible than Straight No Chaser and The Chosen Vron. Blissful Jack simply gained the Triple Bend Stakes on June 1 with a 110 determine to show he belongs on the stage, however simply previous to that within the Kona Gold Stakes he was no match for The Chosen Vron as he was a half-length behind that one with a half-mile to run and was behind by three-quarters of a size on the end. Closethegame Sugar gained the Mahony Stakes final August on turf, after which two races later gained a handicap race, incomes a then career-best 107 determine. After taking a bit greater than seven months off to mature, the now 4-year-old completed second in his 2024 debut after which gained the Aristides Stakes and Kelly’s Touchdown Stakes in succession. He earned a robust 109 determine within the Kelly’s Touchdown which, if improved upon, makes him a contender as nicely.
The remainder of the sphere, with their greatest Equibase Velocity Figures in comparable races, is Anarchist (114), Big Recreation (89), Jackstown (103), Roll on Huge Joe (102) and See By way of It (105).
Win Contenders:
Straight No Chaser
The Chosen Vron
Blissful Jack
