Santa Anita wrapup: The Chosen Vron is among 5 stakes winners

Trainer Eric Kruljac’s The Chosen Vron reeled in multiple stakes-winning Brickyard Ride in mid-stretch en route to his second consecutive victory Saturday in the $150,000 California Cup Sprint at Santa Anita, winning going away by 2 1/4 lengths.

A 6-year-old gelding by Vronsky, The Chosen Vron posted his 14th career stakes win. With regular rider Hector Berrios up, got six furlongs in 1:09.06.

The Cal Cup Sprint was part of the lucrative Golden State Series for registered California-bred or sired horses.

Ridden confidently, Berrios sat a measured third at the rail, 1 1/2 lengths behind the early speed of Brickyard Ride at the three-furlong marker. With Berrios sitting chilly turning for home, The Chosen Vron took a subtle cue from Berrios three-sixteenths of a mile out, switched to his left lead and, just like a big cat, pounced on his prey a furlong from the wire.

A front-running winner of the seven-furlong Cary Grant Stakes going seven furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 18, The Chosen Vron was the overwhelming 1-20 favorite Saturday vs. four rival older horses and paid $2.10, $2.10 and $2.10.

Owned in part by Kruljac, Sondereker Racing, Robert Fetkin and Richard Thornburgh, The Chosen Vron is out of the Tiz Wonderful mare Tiz Molly. He picked up $90,000 for his efforts, pushing his bankroll to $1,239,678 from an overall mark of 20: 15-1-2.

Brickyard Ride, a 7-year-old horse by Clubhouse Ride and himself an eight-time stakes winner, showed the early zip of his youth, carving out splits of 22.41, 45.32 and 57.36. The second choice at 6-1 with Juan Hernández up, he paid $2.40 and $2.10 after finishing 2 1/4 lengths in front of Geezer.

The longest shot in the field at 52-1, Geezer paid $3.60 to show.

Kings River Knight rolls in Turf Classic

Bred in California by Old English Rancho and the epitome of a versatile Cal-bred, John Sadler-trained Kings River Knight was in command throughout, leading from gate to wire under Hernández to take the $200,000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic by a half-length.

Kings River Knight got 1 1/8 miles over the Santa Anita turf in 1:48.02 after setting an early pace of 23.59, 47.67, 1:12.21 and 1:36.36.

Never better at age 6, the bay gelding by Acclamation notched his fifth career stakes win and got his third win in a row dating to Sept. 16 at Los Alamitos.

Pressed to the top of the lane by long shot Passarando, who was ridden by Frankie Dettori, Kings River Knight had to fend off stiff challenges from late runners Carmelita’s Man and Aligato, both of whom were steadily gaining late.

Fourth when he was beaten by a length in the Turf Classic a year ago when he was trained by Golden Gate Fields-based Andy Mathis, Kings River Knight is 5 for 7 since he was relocated to Southern California with Sadler. He was seen last on Oct. 15 at Santa Anita, winning the California Flag Handicap at about 6 1/2 furlongs down the hillside turf course.

The even money favorite Saturday in a field of 10 older horses, Kings River Knight paid $4.20, $2.80 and $2.20.

Owned by Integrity Thoroughbred Racing, the Ellwood Johnston Trust and Kenneth Tevelde, Kings River Knight is out of the Poteen mare Seasontoperfection. With Saturday’s winner’s share of $110,000, he increased his earnings to $536,010 and ran his overall race record to 14: 8-5-0.

Patiently handled by Tiago Pereira, Dean Pederson-trained Carmelita’s Man was mid-pack and into the bridle heading to the far turn, made a solid run through the stretch and ran out of real estate on the money while managing to just hold off Aligato by a nose. Off at 11-1, Carmelita’s Man paid $7.60 and $4.60.

Trained by Mark Glatt, Aligato rallied wide to finish third at 4-1 under Flavien Prat, returning $2.60 to show.

Mici’s Express rebounds in Cal Cup Derby

A disappointing third as the favorite in his most recent start, trainer Steve Knapp’s Mici’s Express got a perfect ground saving trip under Umberto Rispoli and rallied off the turn for home to an impressive 1 1/2-length score in the $200,000 Cal Cup Derby.

A bay colt by Slew’s Tiznow, Mici’s Express added blinkers Saturday and earned his first stakes victory, getting 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.75.

Unhurried in the early going, Rispoli was intent on keeping his mount covered up into around the first turn and was able to hug the fence to the quarter pole. A joint third about 2 1/2 lengths behind eventual third-place finisher Last Call London, Mici’s Express tipped three wide turning for home and drew away as much the best late.

A $5,000 yearling purchase, Mici’s Express is out of the Harlan’s Holiday mare Harlan Express. Owned by Tom Halasz, he was third as the 9-5 favorite in the one-mile King Glorious versus state-breds at Los Alamitos in his most recent start Dec. 17.

Off at 5-1 in a field of five, he paid $13.00, $5.60 and $2.60. With the winner’s share of $110,000, he increased his earnings to $248,530.

Second to mid-stretch, Stolen Treasure, ridden by Mario Gutiérrez, finished second and paid $4.60 and $2.40 after going off at 7-2.

Finishing third, 1 3/4 lengths behind Stolen Treasure, Last Call London was the even-money favorite with Hernández and paid $2.10 to show.

The early fractions were 24.62, 49.33, 1:13.99 and 1:40.27.

Grand Slam Smile wins Cal Cup Oaks

Owned by prominent California breeders Larry and Marriane Williams, Grand Slam Smile in her first start going two turns and first assignment on grass, turned in a magnificent performance in taking the $200,000 Cal Cup Oaks.

She won by 2 1/4 lengths while getting a flat mile on turf under regular rider Frank Alvarado in 1:36.59.

Trained by Steve Specht, Grand Slam Smile unseated Alvarado in the walk out of the paddock to the racetrack, but both horse and jockey were none the worse for wear when it counted.

Breaking sharply from her outside post, she immediately engaged long shot Recalcitrant and Dettori into and around the first turn. Heading up the backside, Grand Slam Smile began to inch clear heading to the three-furlong marker, but Recalcitrant was back on terms at the quarter pole.

Turning for home, it looked as though Asada Fries, three-deep under Hernández, had fresh legs and dead aim, but Grand Slam Smile was far from done and re-rallied for the victory.

Most recently a disappointing second going six furlongs on synthetic Tapeta vs. open company in the Golden Gate Debutante on Nov. 25, Grand Slam Smile was off nonetheless off as the 2-1 favorite among eight sophomore fillies and paid $6.20, $4.20 and $2.80.

By Smiling Tiger out of the Grand Slam mare Royal Grand Slam, Grand Slam Smile, a two-time stakes winner on dirt, picked up her biggest paycheck yet. The winner’s share of $110,000 boosted her earnings to $329,900 from an overall record of 6: 4-2-0.

The narrow second choice at 2-1 with Hernández, Asada Fries paid $3.40 and $2.40 after finishing a half-length better than deep closer Sushi Sticks.

Ridden by Flavien Prat, Sushi Sticks was just up for third money by a nose over Prancingthruparis and paid $2.80 to show.

Fractions for the Oaks were 22.72, 47.00, 1:11.61 and 1:24.12.

Rose Maddox scores in her sprint

Named for a country star from years gone by, Nick Alexander’s homebred Rose Maddox proved extra game late in taking the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint by a nose under Prat. Trained by Steve Miyadi, the 5-year-old mare by Grazen got about 6 1/2 furlongs down the hillside turf course in 1:13.45 after early fractions of 2.07, 44.82 and 1:07.02.

Mid-pack about six lengths off of eventual second-place finisher Chancery Way a half-mile out, Rose Maddox slid up the rail to the dirt crossing, engaged Chancery Way leaving the quarter pole and proved best in a thrilling, three-way photo on the money.

A two-length winner of the California Distaff Handicap down the hill two starts back, she was an even fourth, beaten 2 3/4 lengths vs. open company down the hill in the Senator Ken Maddy on Nov. 3.

Off Saturday as the 6-5 favorite in a field of eight older fillies and mares, Rose Maddox paid $4.40, $2.80 and $2.10.

Out of the Unusual Heat mare Heat the Rocks, she picked up her fourth career stakes win and her seventh victory from 20 overall starts. With the winner’s share of $90,000, she increased her earnings to $515,782.

Ridden by Antonio Fresu, Chancery Way ran a big race in defeat, holding off a fast finishing Stay and Scam by a nose for second.  Off at 6-1, Chancery Way paid $5.80 and $2.80.

With Gutiérrez up, Stay and Scam paid $2.20 to show after finishing a half-length in front of Chismosa.