The Chosen Vron, California’s leading sprinter, will get an additional prep before the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) this year when he heads a field of eight in Saturday’s $250,000 Pat O’Brien (G2) at Del Mar.
The Chosen Vron finished an even fifth in last year’s Sprint at Santa Anita, the gelding’s only defeat in his last 15 starts dating to September 2022. Looking back, trainer Eric Kruljac feels the three-month gap last season between the Bing Crosby (G1) and the Breeders’ Cup was too long.
“I felt like I gave him too much time … last year,” Kruljac said. “He’s thriving, and so far, so good.”
The Chosen Vron commenced a new win streak following the Sprint, and it is now up to six races following his successful title defense of the Bing Crosby on July 27. The California-bred has won a remarkable 19 times in 24 starts.
Senor Buscador, who in February won the world’s richest race, the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1), gets back to work in the Pat O’Brien following an extended layoff. He last finished a distant third in the Dubai World Cup (G1) in late March.
While likely in need of a race before stretching back out, Senor Buscador has a history of being an effective one-turn performer. Highlights of his previous runs over the Del Mar strip include a win in the 2023 San Diego H. (G2) and a third in the 2022 edition of the Pat O’Brien.
Among the others lining up in the O’Brien are Big City Lights, who captured the Palos Verdes (G3) in February before finishing third to Happy Jack in the Triple Bend (G2) in June. The three-year-old Raging Torrent, meanwhile, enjoyed a fruitful couple of trips to Kentucky earlier in the season, winning an allowance and the Maxfield S. at Churchill Downs while recording triple-digit Brisnet Speed ratings.
Despite the fact The Chosen Vron and Senor Buscador are likely to target other Breeders’ Cup races, the winner of the Pat O’Brien will get an automatic entry into the Dirt Mile (G1) as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series.
