Cal-Bred Star The Chosen Vron Headlines San Carlos

The Chosen Vron  looks to reprise his role as king of the Southern California sprinting ranks when he starts as the heavy favorite in the $100,000 San Carlos Stakes (G3) March 16 at Santa Anita Park.

Trained by Eric Kruljac and campaigned by the partnership of Sondereker Racing, Kruljac, Robert Fetkin, and Richard Thornburgh, the venerable California-bred gelding opened his 2024 campaign with a handy score in the Jan. 13 Don Valpredo California Cup Sprint Stakes against state-bred rivals. A picture of consistency, The Chosen Vron has lost only once in his last 11 starts since September 2022, with his lone defeat coming against top-level competition in the 2023 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1).

The gelding's finest hour came last summer at Del Mar, where the son of Vronsky became a grade 1 winner in a salty rendition of the Bing Crosby Stakes (G1). It was The Chosen Vron's eighth straight win.

Recently crowned the 2023 California-bred Horse of the Year, champion sprinter, and champion older male, The Chosen Vron goes for his fourth graded tally with regular pilot Hector Berrios aboard.

The sole graded stakes winner in the field of seven, The Chosen Vron's most formidable challenges could come two contenders making their stakes debut, the Bob Baffert-trained Elwood Blues  and Mark Glatt-trained Ghost of Midnight . Both horses have won their last three starts.