The July 27 Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) at Del Mar carries important Breeders' Cup implications. For starters, as a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series event, the winner gets a guaranteed, free spot in the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1). Beyond that, what happens in Saturday's grade 1 stakes will be doubly important since the BC Sprint will be contested over the very same Del Mar surface, which should give the winner a bit of a home-field advantage at the World Championships.
1. Anarchist (10-1 morning-line odds): Returns to the West Coast after battling for the early lead and fading to sixth in the ungraded Kelly's Landing Stakes at Churchill Downs. That seemed an odd spot to start his 2024 campaign, but he owns stellar form at Del Mar. Last year, he won the Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2) at Del Mar after finishing second to The Chosen Vron by a head in the 2023 Bing Crosby. There's every reason to believe he can produce an improved performance here.
JOCKEY: Kazushi Kimura; TRAINER: Doug O'Neill
2. See Through It (30-1): Comes off a couple of starter allowance wins at Los Alamitos Race Course, which does not instill confidence for a big showing in a grade 1 stakes.
JOCKEY: Tiago Pereira; TRAINER: Genaro Vallejo
3. Straight No Chaser (6-1): Was an easy winner of the Maryland Sprint Stakes (G3) last year, but tired at Belmont at the Big A meet at Aqueduct Racetrack as an odds-on favorite in the May 11 Runhappy Stakes (G3), which was his first race in almost a year. He can improve off his 2024 debut, but he needs a career-best effort to be a factor here.
JOCKEY: Antonio Fresu; TRAINER: Dan Blacker
4. Giant Game (20-1): Considering his last 11 races were at a mile or more and he has yet to race in a six-furlong sprint, hard to picture him winning a grade 1 sprint stakes.
JOCKEY: Joe Talamo; TRAINER: Peter Eurton
5. Roll On Big Joe (SCRATCHED)
6. Closethegame Sugar (5-1): Owned in part by New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz, this gelding enters off a pair of Churchill Downs sprint stakes wins. He won the Kelly's Landing in a sharp effort and took the Aristides Stakes before that. Figures to have a nice closing kick.
JOCKEY: Umberto Rispoli; TRAINER: Adam Rice
7. Happy Jack (3-1): Was an impressive winner of the seven-furlong Triple Bend Stakes (G2), setting the pace and pulling away in the final furlong. He was second to The Chosen Vron in the Kona Gold Stakes while making his 2024 debut after a 10-month layoff. Should be a big factor here.
JOCKEY: Edwin Maldonado; TRAINER: Doug O'Neill
8. The Chosen Vron (6-5): Won last year's Bing Crosby and seeks a sixth straight win while chasing an encore victory in the grade 1 stakes. He has two months rest for this one, and his recent works indicate he's a deserving favorite and very much the one to beat here.
JOCKEY: Hector Berrios; TRAINER: Eric Kruljac
9. Jackstown (15-1): He's making his stakes debut and just his third start in a career that has included 23 months on the sidelines after an injury. As uninspiring as that sounds, he is trained by Bob Baffert, and his speed figure in his big comeback win last month cannot be ignored.
JOCKEY: Juan Hernandez; TRAINER: Bob Baffert
THE PICK: The Chosen Vron
LIVE LONGSHOT: Jackstown
SUPERFECTA: 8-7-9-6
