The Chosen Vron gets 7th straight stakes win at Santa Anita
In a command performance, the Eric Kruljac-trained The Chosen Vron pounced on his competition a quarter mile from home and strode to a sensational 5 1/2-length score in Sunday’s $100,000 Thor’s Echo Stakes at Santa Anita.
Ridden for the seventh straight time by Hector Berrios, the 5-year-old Vronsky gelding rang up his seventh consecutive stakes win while getting six furlongs geared down in 1:09.58.
The Thor’s Echo is part of the lucrative California Thoroughbred Breeders Association-sponsored Golden State series for eligible California-bred or sired horses.
As expected, long shot Sunrise Journey, drawn on the far outside the Thor’s Echo four-pack and multiple stakes winner Clubhouse Ride, who broke to the inside of the Chosen Vron in post three, contested the early lead, with Sunrise Journey a short head in front at the half mile pole.
With these two racing as a team around the turn, The Chosen Vron looked like a big cat stalking his prey as he reeled them both in with consummate ease leaving the three-sixteenths pole en route to the easiest of victories.
“The Chosen Vron … you can put him where you want him," Kruljac said. I told Hector (Berrios) he might be a little fresh. When he came back, he said, ‘He was just push-button. When I moved my hand, he had another gear and he was gone.’
“I wish I had another one … but we will live with what we are given. He has been a blessing. You don’t come by a horse like this very often. Everybody deserves to have a horse like him.”
Most recently a nose winner going 6 1/2 furlongs down the hillside turf course in the state-bred Sensational Star at Santa Anita on March 19, The Chosen Vron was off at 3-5 and paid $3.40 and $2.20 with no show wagering.
Out of the Tiz Wonderful mare Tiz Molly, The Chosen Vron picked up his 12th win from 16 overall starts and with the winner’s share of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $792,678.
Owned by Sondereker Racing, Eric Kruljac, Robert Fetkin and Richard Thornburgh, The Chosen Vron was bred by Tiz Molly Partners.
The longest shot in the field at 19-1, Tigre Di Slugo rallied for second money under Jose Valdivia Jr. and paid $6.00 to place.
The winner of last year’s Thor’s Echo, Brickyard Ride, was done turning for home and checked in third, 6 3/4 lengths behind the runner-up.
Fractions on the race were 21.82, 44.41 and 56.88 seconds.
