BY BROCK SHERIDAN
A winner of two of three this year including the Grade 3 Count Fleet Handicap at Oaklawn Park, Florida-bred Mad House ships west for Saturday’s $400,000 Bing Crosby Handicap at Del Mar. Part of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In series offering the winner an automatic starting position with fees paid in the $2 million Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) to be run at Keeneland on October 31, the Bing Crosby has attracted nine 3-year-olds and older who will race six furlongs.
An out-of-state victory in a Grade 1 by Mad House would produce a $7,500 Export Incentive for breeders Jean White, Wavertree Farm and SGV Thoroughbreds paid by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.
Mad House is trained by David Van Winkle for James Thares of Aberdeen, South Dakota, who bought the son of Vekoma for $47,000 at the 2024 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale where he was consigned by Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stable.
Mad House did not break his maiden until his sixth career start but did so winning by 11 ½ lengths in a maiden special weight at Canterbury Downs in June of last year. After two more consecutive wins at Canterbury, Mad House won the Grade 2 Gallant Bob at Parx Racing in September and the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar was next. He finished out of the money in the Sprint but returned this year to win his first two starts including a gate-to-wire score in the six-furlong Count Fleet on April 11, producing a career high 102 Beyer Speed Figure.
In one start since the Count Fleet, Mad House was fifth in the six-furlong Aristides (G3) won by Cornucopian at Churchill Downs on May 30.
Out of the Munnings mare Stifled Heiress, Mad House has six wins with a second and a third in 13 starts and earnings of $609,697.
Sony Leon, who rode him in a nearly four-length victory in an upper tier, $100,000 optional claiming victory at Tampa Bay Downs in March, will travel to Southern California to ride. Mad House has post eight.
Trainer Bob Baffert has Cornucopian returning to Southern California for the Bing Crosby in search of his fourth win in five starts this year.
The 4-year-old son of Into Mischief won his first two races of the year at Santa Anita, starting with a three-length victory in a first level, $50,000 optional claiming on January 31. Cornucopian then took the seven-furlong San Carlos (G3) on March 29 before going to Churchill where he was fifth in the seven-furlong Churchill Downs Stakes (G1) on the Kentucky Derby undercard on May 2.
Cornucopian’s career mark stands at four wins in seven starts with one second and earnings of $462,155.
Juan Hernandez rode Cornucopian in his first three races this year, and will get the leg up Saturday, taking over for jockey Flavian Prat in the Aristides.
Cornucopian has post six in the Bing Crosby.
Rounding out the field are Maximum Bourbon with Joel Rosario taking the call, Listenupshance has Emisael Jaramillo named to ride, Dr. Venkman and jockey Umberto Rispoli, For All Mankind will have Armando Ayuso in the saddle, Antonio Fresu will be aboard Stronghold, Gold Sweep with Mike Smith up and Victor Espinoza has the assignment on Moonlight.
Return to the July 23 issue of Wire to Wire
