STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024

• THE CHOSEN VRON ‘DOING SUPER’ AHEAD OF KONA GOLD • ARABIAN KNIGHT, VLAHOS LEAD FRIDAY’S WORK TAB __• SATURDAY’S $1 COAST-TO-COAST PICK 5 STARTS AT 2:30 P.M. PT __ • HIGH-PRICED ULTIMATE GAMLBLE RETURNS OFF LAYOFF FOR GLATT

THE CHOSEN VRON IS ‘DOING SUPER’ AHEAD OF KONA GOLD Trainer and co-owner Eric Kruljac planned to wait for May 25 to run The Chosen Vron in the Thor’s Echo Stakes for California-breds going six furlongs at Santa Anita.

The 6-year-old millionaire gelding had other ideas. Last Saturday, The Chosen Vron worked four furlongs in a swift 46.80 seconds. It was all Kruljac needed to see. He and his fellow owners opened the checkbook and ponied up a $2,000 supplemental entry fee to run The Chosen Vron in Saturday’s $100,000 Kona Gold Stakes for older horses at 6 ½ furlongs.

“He’s absolutely doing super,” Kruljac said by phone Thursday morning. “To wait for the Thor’s Echo, it was going to be hard to keep him on the ground. He’s ready to roll.”

The Chosen Vron, who will have regular rider Hector Berrios aboard, is the 4-5 morning line favorite in the Kona Gold. He is seeking his 16th stakes win and 13th victory in 14 starts dating back to September 2022. In two starts this year, the son of Vronsky won the California Cup Sprint Jan. 13 and the seven-furlong GIII San Carlos March 16, both at Santa Anita.

The Kona Gold doesn’t figure to be a layup for The Chosen Vron. Among his rivals are multiple graded stakes winner Forbidden Kingdom (5-2), who makes his 5-year-old debut for trainer Richard Mandella, and GI winner Express Train (6-1), who returns from an almost 19-month layoff for trainer John Shirreffs.

Also in the lineup is Happy Jack (8-1), a veteran of the 2022 Triple Crown who makes his first start since last July for trainer Doug O’Neill.

“It’s going to be a tough race, but they’ll need to have their running shoes on,” Kruljac of The Chosen Vron’s six rivals. “I think most of the others are coming off a layoff, so we may have a bit of an advantage in that respect.”

Kruljac owns The Chosen Vron in partnership with Sondereker Racing, Robert S. Fetkin and Richard Thornburgh. The Chosen Vron has earned $1,299,678 with a record of 21: 16-1-2.

The Kona Gold goes as the fourth race on an 11-race card Saturday. Post time is set for 2:30 p.m. PT. The field in post position order: Forbidden Kingdom, Juan Hernandez (5-2); Prince Abu Dhabi, Kyle Frey (12-1); See Through It, Edwin Maldonado (15-1); The Chosen Vron, Hector Berrios (4-5); Happy Jack, Frankie Dettori (8-1); Zeus’ War, Umberto Rispoli (12-1); Express Train, Mike Smith (6-1).

SATURDAY’S $1 COAST-TO-COAST PICK 5 STARTS AT 2:30 P.M. PT The $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 returns Saturday with three races from Santa Anita and two from Gulfstream Park. It starts at 2:30 p.m. PT with the fourth race from Santa Anita, the $100,000 Kona Gold Stakes.

The Kona Gold at 6 ½ furlongs on dirt is led by 4-5 morning line favorite The Chosen Vron for trainer Eric Kruljac. Other key principals include Forbidden Kingdom (5-2), Express Train (6-1) and Happy Jack (8-1).

The sequence also includes the fifth and seventh races from Santa Anita. The fifth is a starter allowance for older horses at a mile on turf. The 5-2 favorite is Anmer Hall for trainer Steve Knapp in an eight-horse field. The seventh is an allowance for older horses at about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course. Forgiving Spirit is the 2-1 program favorite for trainer Peter Miller.

Gulfstream joins the action with its 10th and 11th race, each of which features full fields. Among 12 entered in the 10th, a $75,000 Overnight Handicap at five furlongs on turf, is lukewarm 7-2 favorite Yes I Am Free for trainer Laura Cazares. The 11th is a one-mile maiden race on turf for 3-year-olds. An overflow field of 14 with two also-eligibles is led by I See You Lookin, the tepid 4-1 program favorite for trainer Todd Pletcher.

The Coast-to-Coast Pick 5, which offers a player friendly 15 percent takeout rate, is offered every Saturday and Sunday through the end of the Santa Anita Hollywood Meet June 16.

ARABIAN KNIGHT, VLAHOS LEAD FRIDAY’S WORK TAB AT SANTA ANITA Grade I winner Arabian Knight and dazzling debut winner Vlahos were among 92 horses to have timed workouts Friday at Santa Anita.

Arabian Knight worked a bullet four furlongs in 47.20 seconds for trainer Bob Baffert. It was the fastest of 35 works at the distance on the main track.

Arabian Knight has been sidelined since a fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 4 at Santa Anita. In three prior starts last year, the Uncle Mo colt won the GI Pacific Classic at Del Mar and GIII Southwest at Oaklawn Park and was third in the GI Haskell at Monmouth Park.

This was Arabian Knight’s third work since April 11.

Vlahos worked five furlongs from the gate in 1:01.80 for new trainer Doug O’Neill. A 3-year-old Kantharos ridgling, Vlahos debuted in a 6 ½-furlong maiden heat here March 9 for trainer Luis Mendez and owner-breeder Dan Northrup. He uncorked a 98 Beyer Speed Figure when scoring by 4 ½ lengths.

Vlahos was subsequently sold in a private deal and transferred to O’Neill. He is now owned by Ty Leatherman and Todd Cady with Northrup also staying for a minor share.

Vlahos is slated to ship to Churchill Downs to run in the GII Pat Day Mile on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 4.

Also working were GII Santa Anita Oaks third-place finisher Corposo and Subsanador, the GI Santa Anita Handicap runner-up. Corposo fired a bullet for trainer Peter Eurton when working four furlongs in 47.20 seconds.

Subsanador, a multiple Group I winner in his native Argentina, was beaten just a head in the Big ‘Cap when making his second U.S. start. Both of his stateside outings came for trainer John Sadler, but Subsanador is now trained by Richard Mandella after being sold in a private deal.

Mandella said earlier this month that Subsanador was being pointed to the GII Hollywood Gold Cup at 1 ¼ miles May 27 at Santa Anita.

HIGH-PRICED ULTIMATE GAMBLE RETURNS OFF LAYOFF FOR GLATT Maiden winner Ultimate Gamble, a $1.75 million auction purchase as a 2-year-old, makes his first start in more than year in Saturday’s 10th race, a first-level allowance at mile on dirt.

Trained by Mark Glatt, Ultimate Gamble hasn’t started since last April at Santa Anita. The 4-year-old Medaglia d’Oro colt broke his maiden on April 1 last year and came back 29 days later to be beaten just a half length in a first-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles on dirt.

For his comeback, Ultimate Gamble is installed as the 4-1 third choice in a competitive field of 10, which also includes one also eligible. Frankie Dettori, who was aboard for Ultimate Gamble’s maiden win, returns to the saddle for his comeback. Glatt expects a good effort from Ultimate Gamble in his return.

“He’s training extremely well, probably better than he ever has,” Glatt said.

Ultimate Gamble’s work tab includes three-straight six furlongs works with the most recent being on April 18.

“Coming back around two turns, I wanted to make sure I have him as fit as I could,” Glatt noted of the series of stiff drills.

Among Ultimate Gamble’s rivals are 5-2 favorite Faustin for trainer Bob Baffert and Yellow Brick (3-1) for trainer Richard Mandella. Faustin on April 6 returned from a 14-month layoff in a first-level allowance on turf and was beaten just a half-length by Aligato, who is also trained by Glatt.

“It did not come up an easy race at the level, there are a couple in there in really good form,” Glatt said. “We’re using it as a comeback to see exactly where we are at. But I would expect him to win quite honestly.”

Owner Red Baron’s Barn LLC or Rancho Temescal purchased Ultimate Gamble at the 2022 OBS April Sale of 2-year-olds in training. He is 3: 1-1-0 in $57,600 in earnings.

Post time for the 10th race is set for 5:38 p.m. The field in post position order: Yellow Brick, Umberto Rispoli (3-1); St. Elmo, Victor Espinoza (12-1); Santo Dios, Jeremy Laprida (20-1); Faustin, Juan Hernandez (5-2); It’s My House, Hector Berrios (10-1); Ultimate Gamble, Frankie Dettori (4-1); I Don’t Get It, Mario Gutierrez (15-1); Hey Brother, Edwin Maldonado (10-1); Ashcroft, Kent Desormeaux (6-1); Smart Mo, Kyle Frey (15-1); Midnight Mammoth (AE), Tyler Baze (12-1).

FINISH LINES: The co-feature on Saturday’s 11-race card is the GIII Royal Heroine for older fillies and mares at a mile on turf. It goes as the ninth race at approximately 5:08 p.m. A field of nine is entered led by 5-2 morning line favorite Stay and Scam for trainer Doug O’Neill….Santa Anita simulcast hosts Michelle Yu and Zoe Cadman will be at Golden Gate Saturday providing coverage of its GIII San Francisco Mile program…Jessica Pyfer, also part of Santa Anita’s simulcast team, will be at Churchill Downs all next week supporting her stepfather Phil D’Amato as he tries for his first Kentucky Derby win with Santa Anita Derby winner Stronghold…Owner Tim Cohen will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Saturday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 11:50 a.m...A nine-race card is set for Sunday with first post at 1 p.m.