Euroears joins millionaire's club with record-setting Bing Crosby win

Last updated: 7/31/11 10:28 PM

Euroears joins millionaire’s club with record-setting Bing
Crosby win

Euroears set a new track record in the Bing Crosby
(Alex Evers/EquiSport Photos)

James E. and Marilyn Helzer’s EUROEARS (Langfuhr) took the lead soon
after the start of Sunday’s $250,000

Bing Crosby S. (G1) at Del Mar and proceeded to set a new Polytrack
record when wiring the six-furlong affair in 1:08.17, bettering the
previous record of 1:08.29 set by Cost of Freedom (Cee’s Tizzy) on
August 9, 2008.

The veteran chestnut also capped off a stellar day for trainer Bob
Baffert, who was at Monmouth Park in New Jersey where he saddled Coil
(Point Given) to victory in the $1 million Haskell Invitational (G1).

A few hours after that race, Euroears set fractions of
:22, :44 1/5 and :55 4/5 while chased by Amazombie (Northern Afleet)
into the stretch of the Bing Crosby. Smiling Tiger (Hold That Tiger),
the even-money favorite in the race, broke awkwardly at the start and
found himself motoring in the rear but put in a plucky late run to miss
the win by 1 1/4 lengths on the wire. Euroears, the near 5-2 second
choice, paid $6.80, $3.60 and $2.80 for earning his first Grade 1
victory.

“He’s an amazing horse. He has lots of heart on the lead. He wants to
be in front and he’s a different horse when he is,” jockey Rafael
Bejarano said of Euroears. “I thought I would have some pressure up
front, but there was none. When we turned for home, I asked him a little
and he really went. He’s an amazing horse.”

Smiling Tiger was going for a title defense in the Bing Crosby and
looking for his second straight Grade 1 tally after taking the July 2
Triple Bend H. (G1). Alas, the bad break compromised his chances and he
was forced to settle for second, a half-length in front of Amazombie.

Euroears held a rallying Smiling Tiger
(red cap) to earn his first Grade 1 victory
(Alex Evers/EquiSport Photos)

“He broke just a little slow,” jockey Joel Rosario said of Smiling Tiger. “I
don’t know if the post (No. 1) bothered him or not. I don’t think so. He was
just a little slow out of there. Then I didn’t rush him. I just let him run his
race. He ran well, but that winner had an easy lead and he was too much at the
finish.”

Carbonite (Aldebaran) followed Amazombie by a length under the wire, with
Color of Courage (Came Home) another head back in fifth. Kinsale King (Yankee
Victor), who captured the 2010 Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1), finished last,
beaten a total of 3 1/4 lengths. Coffee Boy (Yonaguska) was withdrawn.

“He ran well,” jockey Martin Pedroza said of Kinsale King. “The trainer (Carl
O’Callahan) and the owner (Patrick Sheehy) were happy with his effort. He needed
this one. He got a little tired. Next time for him.”

With the winner’s share from the Bing Crosby, Euroears has now banked
$1,041,526 to go along with his 19-10-2-2 mark. The seven-year-old began his
career with Bret Calhoun, winning his first six races including the Duncan F.
Kenner S., Colonel Power S. and F.W. Gaudin Memorial S. He suffered his first
loss while wrapping up his four-year-old season in the 2008 Bet on Sunshine H.
at Churchill Downs and would go on to also add the Thanksgiving H. to his record
in 2009.

Euroears earned placings in last year’s Texas Mile S. (G3) and Lone Star Park
H. (G3), but wouldn’t garner a graded score until taking the Palos Verdes S. (G2)
in his debut for Baffert on January 22. The conditioner sent his new charge to
Dubai for the Dubai Golden Shaheen on March 26, and Euroears reputed himself
well when running second in that event last out.

“That’s his style (pure speed) and he ran a huge race today,” said Mike
Marlow, assistant to Baffert. “Coming back from Dubai, he had had time to
recover and he runs well fresh. This track today wasn’t favoring that kind of
performance (track record). But it didn’t look like he was extended that much
even at the wire. I didn’t give (Bejarano) any instructions; he had talked to
Bob earlier.

“I would think there would be a good chance (that the August 28 Pat O’Brien
[G1] would be next), but I don’t know. That’s for Bob to decide.”

Bred in Kentucky by Gary and Bonnie Peterson, Euroears RNA’ed for $22,000 at
the 2004 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November sale. He is out of the Grade 3-winning
Heff mare Unky and Ally and is a full sibling to the juvenile filly Eurodame and
a half to a yearling colt by Will He Shine. This is the same female family as
back-to-back Pacific Classic (G1) winner Richard’s Kid (Lemon Drop Kid).