Roll On Big Joe, Dr. Venkman Rematch in Bing Crosby

While the Bing Crosby Stakes (G1), run early in the Del Mar meeting, draws heavily on horses from Santa Anita Park, the Kelly's Landing Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs is beginning to affect its fields. Last year, two from the Kelly's Landing competed in the Crosby. Closethegame Sugar, the 2024 Kelly's Landing winner, finished second to The Chosen Vron in the Crosby. Anarchist, sixth in the Kelly's Landing, was fifth at Del Mar. This year, the top two from the June 28 Kelly's Landing, Roll On Big Joe and Dr. Venkman, are slated to meet again in the $400,000 Bing Crosby July 26. The Chosen Vron has been retired, as has Raging Torrent, whose three consecutive graded wins since December culminated in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. With both of those powerhouses absent, Roll On Big Joe and Dr. Venkman face seven others in the six-furlong Crosby. Saturday's race is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In, providing automatic paid entry into the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) this fall at Del Mar. Dr. Venkman has the best record at Del Mar of the entire field. He has won three of four races there—his first two lifetime starts by 5 1/4 and 5 1/2 lengths and last year's 1 1/16-mile San Diego Handicap (G2). His only loss at the track was a fourth in the 2024 Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) at 1 1/4 miles, a distance beyond his best. The San Diego, on the same card as the Crosby, drew Nysos, who defeated Dr. Venkman by 5 1/2 lengths in the seven-furlong Triple Bend Stakes (G3). Trainer Mark Glatt has opted for the shorter, Nysos-less Crosby for Dr. Venkman, naming Antonio Fresu to ride from post 2. Roll On Big Joe, trained by Bob Hess Jr., earlier this year at Santa Anita took the six-furlong Palos Verdes Stakes (G3) by four lengths. In his past eight starts, the 5-year-old gelding has been extremely consistent, with four wins, three seconds, and a third. Julien Leparoux has ridden Roll On Big Joe in his last two races—both victories and including the Kelly's Landing—and travels to California for the ride from post 6. Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, who trains Nysos, has entered Hejazi, who is coming off a second in his first outing since January 2024. Although not a stakes winner, Hejazi has placed in three stakes, twice in grade 1s. He topped the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale at $3.55 million. Baffert has won four previous Crosbys: with Lord Nelson in 2016, Euroears in 2011, Zensational in 2009, and Thirty Slews in 1992. East Coast trainer Gregg Sacco sends late-running Crazy Mason to Del Mar for the Crosby, putting Christopher Elliott aboard from the rail. In his past two starts, Crazy Mason won the seven-furlong Carter Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack by a neck and ran third in the 6 1/2-furlong True North Stakes (G3) at Saratoga Race Course in the slop. Local trainers have dominated the Crosby in recent years, however. Not since the late Christophe Clement won with In Summation in 2007 has an out-of-town trainer taken the race. World Record ships in from Kentucky, where most recently he captured the Aristides Stakes (G3) at Churchill. Rudy Brisset trains the speedy 4-year-old colt, who in 2024 at Saratoga triumphed in the Amsterdam Stakes (G2). Spirit of Makena, Lovesick Blues, Mbagnick (CHI), and Smooth Cruisein complete the field.