Dr. Schivel Wins Thrilling Bing Crosby

DEL MAR, CA – Red Baron’s Barn, Rancho Temescal, William Brand, and Dean Reeves’ Dr. Schivel rallied in the stretch to win a thrilling photo-finish ending to Saturday’s $300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) at Del Mar.

The Bing Crosby is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” event, with Dr. Schivel receiving an automatic berth in the Sprint at Del Mar this November.

Dr. Schivel was the 2/1 second choice as he broke from post 8 under Flavien Prat and settled well off the early pace, just outside the 3/2 favorite C Z Rocket and ahead of only Shooters Shoot.

Brickyard Ride shot to the early lead and posted opening fractions of :21.83 and :44.67, but his early advantage disappeared by the top of the stretch as Law Abidin Citizen, Eight Rings, and a quickly-advancing Dr. Schivel flanked him by the 3/16 pole.

Caught widest of the three advancing runners, Dr. Schivel fought hard before taking the lead at the 1/16 pole, then withstood an even wider C Z Rocket’s late charge to win by a neck.

The Mark Glatt trainee completed the 6-furlong fast dirt sprint in 1:10.47.

“He broke well, then when we went across the gap, he grabbed the bit,” Prat said. “He was running well pretty much all the way around. He was game late. Good win.”

Eight Rings saved second by a head over C Z Rocket, with Law Abidin Citizen another 1/2-length back in fourth.

Brickyard Ride, Shooters Shoot, Quick Tempo, and Vertical Threat completed the order of finish. Defending champion Collusion Illusion – the winner’s stablemate – scratched after a quarter crack was discovered earlier in the day.

“He grabbed a quarter training yesterday and he just wasn’t perfect on it today,” Glatt said. “It probably would have been safe to run him, but the ownership group and I thought it was best to err on the conservative side and have him run another day.”

Dr. Schivel’s win was his fourth straight dating back to his local maiden-breaking effort on August 8, 2020, prior to winning the Del Mar Futurity (G1) in his fourth and final start with then-trainer Luis Mendez. Co-breeders Arnold Hill and Branch privately sold him (Branch stayed on in a minority capacity) before the Futurity, and when he arrived to Glatt’s care, the decision was made to give him time off to develop.

The Violence colt, whose overall record of 6-4-1-1 pairs with $416,000 in earnings, defeated older optional claiming rivals on June 18 at Santa Anita Park in his first race as a 3-year-old in what was a perfect prep for the Bing Crosby.

“They went fast early, maybe not as fast as we thought,” Glatt said. “Flavien rode him perfectly, gave him a good trip, and the outside post was a benefit. This is a real race horse. He beat the olders today, and hopefully in November, he’ll be able to do it again.”

Dr. Schivel returned $6.80 to win, $4 to place, and $2.60 to show. Eight Rings brought back $10.80 to place and $4.80 to show. C Z Rocket paid $2.40 to show.