Last seen finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), the ultra-talented but lightly raced Arabian Knight returns to action in Saturday’s $300,000 San Diego H. (G2) at Del Mar. Two races later in the $400,000 Bing Crosby (G1), defending champion The Chosen Vron and last year’s runner-up, Anarchist, face intriguing new opponents in this “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).
San Diego H. (G2) – Race 8 (8:30 p.m. ET)
Arabian Knight, the $2.3-million sales topper as an OBS April juvenile, has continued to generate buzz on the racetrack. The Bob Baffert trainee romped in his first two starts, including the 2023 Southwest (G3), before being knocked off the Triple Crown trail. A game third off the layoff in last summer’s Haskell (G1), the Uncle Mo colt moved forward to beat older horses in the Pacific Classic (G1). His only subsequent appearance came in the Breeders’ Cup, where he set the pace and tired to fourth, beaten a total of 2 1/2 lengths.
Back down in trip for the 1 1/16-mile San Diego, Arabian Knight looms large in this prep for the $1 million Pacific Classic, Del Mar’s signature race on Aug. 31. Juan Hernandez picks up on the mount on the 124-pound highweight, who promises to show his customary speed from post 4.
There’s no shortage of speed, however, with Argentine import Subsanador, Newgrange, and stretch-out sprinter Dr. Venkman in the line-up. Subsanador, just collared late in the March 3 Santa Anita H. (G1), comes off a fourth in the May 27 Hollywood Gold Cup (G2). That marked his debut for Richard Mandella, who boasts a 20% strike rate in the “second start with trainer” category. Subsanador’s Big ‘Cap jockey, Hector Berrios, regains the mount, and they’re tactically drawn on the outside.
Dr. Venkman tries two turns for the first time. Trained by Mark Glatt, the Ghostzapper gelding burst onto the scene here a year ago with a pair of impressive victories. He narrowly lost his perfect record in Keeneland’s Perryville S. last fall, but a comeback second in the Triple Bend (G2) has apparently nudged connections to go up in trip.
Multiple Grade 2 veteran Newgrange can use his tactical speed when required, as illustrated by his front-running title defense in the Jan. 27 San Pasqual (G2). The Phil D’Amato charge is likelier to stalk, though, when someone else takes up the pacesetting role. Freshened since a disappointing sixth as the favorite in the Big ‘Cap, Newgrange gets a rider switch to Kazushi Kimura.
A fast pace scenario would be welcome for Express Train, the hero of the 2021 San Diego who is on the comeback trail for John Shirreffs. The seven-year-old scored his biggest victory in the 2022 Big ‘Cap, but later lost his form and ended up missing the entire 2023 season. Resurfacing from a nearly 19-month absence in the April 27 Kona Gold S., Express Train rallied for third behind The Chosen Vron. His useful comeback over an inadequate 6 1/2 furlongs should set him up for a better effort here. The Doug O’Neill-trained Katonah is another off-the-pace player, although he’s taking a class hike off a year-long layoff. The five-year-old hasn’t raced since his successful stakes debut in the 2023 Pleasanton Mile.
Bing Crosby (G1) – Race 10 (9:30 p.m. ET)
Enhancing its status as a Breeders’ Cup Challenge event, the Bing Crosby is contested over the same track and trip as this year’s Sprint, suggesting that the six-furlong dash will offer actionable intelligence for November.
Prolific California-bred The Chosen Vron is the one to beat, with his 18-for-23 career record. After overcoming trouble to rack up an eighth straight win in last year’s Bing Crosby, he could do no better than fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. But Eric Kruljac’s stable star promptly began a new skein, which now stands at five following a repeat in the state-restricted Thor’s Echo S. on May 25.
Closethegame Sugar, who floored the high-class Skelly in the June 1 Aristides S. at Churchill Downs, will try to topple another big favorite here. Initially a smart turf and synthetic performer, the Adam Rice pupil has upped his game since switching to dirt this campaign. The Girvin gelding backed up his Aristides coup in the Kelly’s Landing S., also at Churchill. Hot-riding Umberto Rispoli gets the call as Closethegame Sugar takes his game on the road at Del Mar.
O’Neill is double-handed with Happy Jack and Anarchist, both of whom have played second fiddle to The Chosen Vron. Happy Jack succumbed by just three-quarters of a length to The Chosen Vron in the aforementioned Kona Gold, off a layoff, and he came back to dominate the Triple Bend (G2).
Anarchist was on the upswing at this time last summer, coming within a head of upsetting The Chosen Vron in the Bing Crosby and going on to take the Pat O’Brien (G2). But the progressive son of Distorted Humor was shelved until the June 29 Kelly’s Landing, where he vied early on the inside and faded to sixth behind Closethegame Sugar. Anarchist is eligible to fare better in his second start back for O’Neill, although he’s drawn the rail again with new rider Kimura.
Also with claims to improve second off the bench is Straight No Chaser. A revelation when crushing the 2023 Maryland Sprint (G3) on Preakness Day, the MyRacehorse colorbearer spent the rest of the year on the sidelines. His comeback in the May 11 Runhappy (G3) at Aqueduct didn’t go as planned, considering that he rushed up after a stumbling start and wound up retreating to fifth. Straight No Chaser has been training forwardly for Dan Blacker in the interim.
The unknown quantity is Baffert’s Jackstown, who brings a 2-for-2 mark into his first real test of class. The Speightstown colt showed promise when wiring his debut here in the summer of 2022, but he vanished for nearly two years. Jackstown picked up where he left off with a 3 1/2-length allowance tally at Santa Anita June 14, and he keeps Hernandez aboard from the outside post 9.
Giant Game, winless since upsetting the 2023 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker H. (G3), hopes to reinvent himself by switching circuits and joining Peter Eurton. Formerly with Dale Romans, the son of Giant’s Causeway was recently sold for $160,000 at Fasig-Tipton’s July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale. Class-challenged Roll on Big Joe and See Through It round out the field.
The stakes action begins with the $100,000 Daisycutter H. (seventh race at 8 p.m. ET), a five-furlong turf scramble for distaffers featuring Elm Drive, Stay and Scam, and comebacker Connie Swingle.
