Kruljac gives The Chosen Vron a gallop. (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
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Stable Notes By Victor Ryan
ARCADIA, Calif.—In 2009 at Santa Anita, veteran Southern-California based trainer Eric Kruljac had his one and only Breeders’ Cup starter, 17-1 longshot La Nez, who finished off the board in that year’s Juvenile Fillies turf.
Kruljac holds a much stronger hand for his second go-around at the Breeders’ Cup. On Saturday, the 70-year-old conditioner will saddle one of the top contenders in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, The Chosen Vron.
Listed at 5-1 on the morning line, The Chosen Vron will attempt to become just the sixth California-bred to win a Breeders’ Cup race. Three of those previous winners prevailed in the Sprint – Thor’s Echo (2006), Dancing In Silks (2009) and Amazombie (2011).
“This is really the highlight of my career,” said Kruljac, who has won 1,241 races and trained seven graded-stakes winners in a career that began in 1986. “At my age, to have a horse like The Chosen Vron, it’s an absolute gift.”
The Chosen Vron has been a win machine for Kruljac and co-owners Sondereker Racing, Robert S. Fatkin and Richard Thomburgh. A 5-year-old gelding by Vronsky, The Chosen Vron has won 13-of-17 starts including eight straight entering the Breeders’ Cup. Most recently, he provided Kruljac with his second career Grade I victory when taking the six-furlong Bing Crosby at Del Mar. Finishing two heads back in third that day was Dr. Schivel, who is also entered in Saturday’s Sprint.
“He’s doing absolutely fabulous,” Kruljac said of his Breeders’ Cup hopeful. “We freshened him up after the Bing Crosby and he couldn’t be training any better.”
The Chosen Vron’s win in the Bing Crosby pushed him over $1 million in career earnings ($1,032,678). He has worked seven times for the Sprint, all on the Santa Anita training track. Last Saturday, he drilled a half mile in 47.20 seconds, which was the second-fastest of 19 moves at the distance.
“In the Bing Crosby there were a couple of really formidable horses with (runner-up) Anarchist and Dr. Schivel,” Kruljac said. “But this race, you look at the field and it’s just like, wow.”
Bred by Tiz Molly Partners, The Chosen Vron is out of allowance winner Tiz Molly, by Tiz Wonderful. He will break from post six in a nine-horse field set for the Sprint. Jockey Hector Berrios, who has been aboard for the entirety of The Chosen Vron’s current winning streak, will again be in the irons.
“The Chosen Vron always gives us everything he’s got,” Kruljac said. “We just hope he’s good enough.”
In the first race on Saturday, Kruljac will saddle Kiss Today Goodbye in the marathon GIII Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance going 1 5/8 miles on the main track. Installed at 5-1 on the morning line, Kiss Today Goodbye most recently was second behind Breeders’ Cup Classic contender Missed the Cut in the GIII Tokyo City at 1 ½ miles here Oct. 1.
Kiss Today Goodbye will have a new rider Saturday. Berrios, who has been aboard for his last four, is being swapped out for Hall of Famer Victor Espinoza. Kruljac noted Kiss Today Goodbye can be tough on a jockey.
“He’s a horse you have to ride the entire way around,” he noted. “I wanted to give Hector a break so he would be at his best on The Chosen Vron.
