The Chosen Vron Stakes is the feature on today’s Del Mar card. He earned his place among California’s best homebred racehorses through speed, consistency, and repeated success against any and all competition. A chestnut gelding by Vronsky out of Tiz Molly, he was trained by co-owner Eric Kruljac. He finished his career with 19 victories from 25 starts and earnings of $1,709,678 - an exceptional record that included 18 stakes wins. His accomplishments brought him California-bred Horse of the Year honors for both 2023 and 2024.
Amongst his many career achievements were consecutive victories in Del Mar’s Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes in 2023 and 2024, both with Hector Berrios aboard. Those wins demonstrated an ability apparent beyond races restricted to California-breds. He also captured the graded Laz Barrera, Affirmed, and San Carlos stakes, all while assembling separate winning streaks of 8 and 6 stakes races. Although best remembered as a sprinter, his record reflected versatility as well as speed.
An ankle injury ultimately ended The Chosen Vron’s racing career, with his connections announcing his retirement in March 2025 rather than risk further injury. His departure left a substantial legacy: two California-bred sprint championships, consecutive state Horse of the Year titles, and a following built over five racing seasons. Del Mar subsequently renamed the Cary Grant Stakes - which he had won twice - The Chosen Vron Stakes, giving him a permanent place on its stakes calendar.
Today’s field might not have another TCV, but there are a number of high-quality Cal-breds in this one. Let’s meet them, and put together our weekly wager. If you’re wagering on Del Mar, check out our partners at AmWager. They have a $50 deposit match for new customers.
The Chosen Vron Stakes. 7 furlongs, dirt. 3+up. Cal-bred or sired. $100k.
TOP CONTENDERS
This racer features a pair of Cal-bred monsters: 1 Man O Rose and 5 Big City Lights are both older horses with a ton of winning between them. Big City Lights is looking for his 10th career win today, adding to a resume which includes a graded stakes win. He was 3rd in this year’s Grade 2 Pat O’Brien, adding further blacktype to his CV. Man O Rose is a classic Cal-bred champ, with 9 wins on dirt and 4 on turf. He’s versatile, and does it all for trainer Jeff Mullins. I lean Big City Lights in this 7 furlong contest, but Man O Rose is obviously live.
LIVE LONG SHOTS
4 Pure Madness tried stakes company last out for the first time, showing well but finishing last down the hill at Santa Anita in the Grade 2 Eddie D. This is softer company, and his preferred surface: in four lifetime starts, he has a pair of wins and a pair of seconds. His recent form deserves notice - as does the excellent training job from Jeff Mullins, who had to lay this horse off for all of 2025.
9 Lovesick Blues is a wildcard today, as he has been on the bench since March after returning from Meydan in the UAE. He won the Grade 1 Bing Crosby in closing fashion in 2025, and returns to the scene of that great win today. His training suggests he’ll fire today; I think this is likely a prep for other races later on, but he’s more than capable in this company.
The Sporting Tribune wager:
$3 Late Pick 3, starts race 7 ($27): 1,5,11 / 5 / 1,7,8. Good luck!