Santa Anita: Uncorked, The Chosen Vron win Saturday stakes

Making her first start for trainer Phil D’Amato and her first in California, Uncorked became a newly minted stakes winner Saturday when taking the Grade 3, $100,000 Royal Heroine Stakes at Santa Anita.

Uncorked had a ground-saving trip under Frankie Dettori before finding a seam on the rail at the top of the stretch and bursting through to score by two lengths as the 5-1 third choice.

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Justique (8-1) rallied from second-last under Hall of Famer Mike Smith to get second. Stay and Scam, the 2-1 favorite ridden by Mario Gutierrez, was another 1 1/2 lengths back in third.

“Phil said, ‘She jumps quick, so make sure you get cover and get her to relax.’ She did,” Dettori said. “The field opened up like the Red Sea, and I got the inside fence, and she just took off.”

The winning time for one mile on firm turf was 1:34.06. Uncorked paid $12.80, $5.80 and $3.80. Justique, trained by John Shirreffs, returned $8.00 and $4.60. Stay and Scam, trained by Doug O’Neill, paid $3.60 to show.

D’Amato was at Churchill Downs on Saturday, when he saw Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Stronghold draw post 18 for next Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. Assistant trainer Julie Witt handled saddling duties for Uncorked.

“When Frankie asked her, she responded,” Witt said. “She is an Australian-bred, and they are known for their sprinter-milers down there, and they have a heck of a turn of foot. She is really enjoying California, and credit to the owners for sending her out here to us and coming up with this idea of giving us a high-quality filly.”

Uncorked arrived in D’Amato’s barn from New York this winter. Previously trained by Brittany Russell, this was her first start since November, when she finished third in the Forever Together going 1 1/16 miles on turf at Aqueduct.

Bred in Australia, where she made her first nine starts, Uncorked is a 5-year-old mare by the Lonhro stallion Pierro. She is owned by Stuart Grant’s The Elkstone Group.

Uncorked improved to 17: 4-4-2 with the $60,000 winner’s share Saturday pushing her career earnings to $234,999.

The Chosen Vron wins at odds-on in Kona Gold

California-bred millionaire The Chosen Vron notched his 16th stakes win Saturday when prevailing in the $100,000 Kona Gold Stakes for older horses going 6 1/2 furlongs.

With Hector Berrios in the irons, The Chosen Vron (1-5) tracked leader Forbidden Kingdom up the backstretch, seized the lead on the turn and then outran stubborn Happy Jack (18-1) through the stretch to prevail by three-quarters of a length.

Happy Jack, making his first start since July for trainer Doug O’Neill, finished five lengths clear of third-place finisher Express Train (11-1).

Trained and co-owned by Eric Kruljac, The Chosen Vron won at a final time of 1:14.82. He paid $2.40, $2.10 and $2.10 for the popular victory.

Forbidden Kingdom, who finished last, went the opening quarter-mile in 21.95 seconds with The Chosen Vron a half-length back to his outside in second. The Chosen Vron surged past the early pacesetter on the turn, completing a half mile in 44.36 seconds, but then a new challenger emerged to his outside in Happy Jack.

A veteran of the 2022 Triple Crown, Happy Jack under Dettori drew even with The Chosen Vron near the three-sixteenths pole. In only a matter of strides, The Chosen Vron regained control for good to make it three stakes wins in as many starts this year.

“It was always the idea to stay in second and let someone else take the lead,” Berrios, a native of Santiago, Chile, said through an interpreter. “At the three-eighths pole, he was pretty comfortable. ... Frankie Dettori put pressure on me, so I was just very careful that I didn’t let him pass and leave my horse intimidated. But my horse has such vitality.”

Happy Jack paid $6.00 and $3.40.

Express Train, the 2022 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) winner, was making his first start in almost 19 months for trainer John Shirreffs. He paid $3.80 to show.

The Chosen Vron improved to 22: 17-1-2 with $1,359,678 in earnings for Kruljac and co-owners Sondereker Racing, Robert Fetkin and Richard Thornburgh.

Bred in California by Tiz Molly Partners, The Chosen Vron is a 6-year-old gelding by Vronsky out of the Tiz Wonderful mare Tiz Molly. In two previous starts this year, both at Santa Anita, The Chosen Vron won the California Cup Sprint going six furlongs Jan. 13 and the San Carlos (G3) going seven furlongs March 16.

Dating to September 2022, The Chosen Vron has won 12 of 13 starts with the lone defeat being a fifth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in November at Santa Anita.

The Chosen Vron was a $2,000 supplemental entry for the Kona Gold. Kruljac initially planned to wait for the six-furlong Thor’s Echo for state-breds May 25. The Chosen Vron forced Kruljac to call an audible following a sizzling, four-furlong workout in 46.8 seconds last Saturday at Santa Anita.

“It’s been incredible,” Kruljac said. “It has been more a matter of getting out of his way and reading him. Just letting him tell me when he’s ready to fire. The last two races he’s done that. He’s delivered.”