ICYMI: A Stakes Slate Characterized by Utter Domination or the Closest of Calls

TORONTO — By Matthew Lomon

Almost Automatic

If an NFL kicker only makes 76 per cent of their kicks, they’re not very good at their job. If a racehorse wins at a 76 per cent clip, they’re amongst the elite of the elite. That is 6-year-old The Chosen Vron.

The reigning California-bred Horse of the Year now has 16 wins in 21 appearances after a front-leading score in this past Saturday’s $100,000 San Carlos (G3). Closing as the 2-5 favorite, The Chosen Vron made light work of five challengers en route to his fourth graded title.

Running at the familiar confines of Santa Anita, the Hector Berrios mount is 11-0-0 in his last 12 starts dating back to September of 2022.

The smooth victory paid a modest $2.80.

On the Nose

Sporting nearly identical lines of 28: 9-7-5 and 30: 9-8-4, Jaxon Traveler (5-1) and Tejano Twist (6-5) were destined to meet at the finish line in Saturday’s $250,000 (G3) Whitmore at Oaklawn Park.

The seasoned duo didn’t really cross paths until the final stages of the six-furlong tilt, running in-between the three other competitors for most of the race. When they did meet, however, fans sure got their money’s worth.

Heading for home, Jaxon Traveler appeared too far out of reach for Tejano Twist and despite a valiant late push, the latter ultimately fell a nose short. For Jaxon Traveler, the Whitmore stands as his second career graded triumph.

The mildly surprising score paid an even $13.

Just Like we Drew it Up

Saturday’s $200,000 Purple Martin Stakes at Oaklawn went exactly according to plan for trainer Randy Morse, who sent out the contest’s top two finishers in Asternia (7-2) and Blue Squall (3-1).

While the six-furlong affair wasn’t particularly close, the former taking it by a margin of 5 ¼ lengths, the end result was still a 1-2 finish for Morse. For completing the exacta, Morse and co. nabbed $156,000 of the available prize money.

With the Purple Martin win etched onto her resume, 3-year-old Asternia is now 2-2-0 in seven tries.

The first stakes conquest of her young career paid $9 flat.

Best Bee-lieve It

Making his stakes debut in the $100,000 Hutcheson this past Saturday at Gulfstream, Beeline showed remarkable poise to prevail over 26-1 challenger Improptude.

After getting out to an early lead, Beeline briefly relinquished the top position around the half-turn. The 3-year-old colt then regained control heading into the stretch before fending off a spirited Improptude for a nose-length victory.

The strong-willed performance helped the Riley Mott trainee stay perfect through two starts to date, while also pushing him over the $100,000 earnings mark. Closing at 4-5, big things were expected of Beeline and the Edgard Zayas pilot delivered.

The Hutcheson score paid $3.60.

Never a Doubt

Antonio of Venice may soon be known as Antonio of New York after capturing his second career stakes at Aqueduct on Sunday afternoon. The 3-year-old colt drubbed a small four-horse field to take the $100,000 Damon Runyan by a whopping 9 ¼ lengths.

Mischief Joke, the 4-5 closing line choice, was the only competitor in the vicinity when Antonio of Venice crossed the finish line, and even that’s a bit of a stretch. There was never any doubt that the race belonged to the Rudy Rodriguez charge, as the six-furlong affair was all but over by the half-turn.

The dominant display returned $4.10, which given the circumstances, seems quite generous.