There are few constants in Thoroughbred racing, but one seems to be if there is a sprint race outside of Breeders’ Cup quality in Southern California, The Chosen Vron  is the winner.

It has been that way since the fall of 2022, and it still is. Racing May 25 in the $98,000 Thor’s Echo Stakes on California Gold Rush Day at Santa Anita Park, the popular 6-year-old gelding again prevailed. His win, his second straight in the Thor’s Echo, marked the 13th time he has been victorious in his last 14 starts dating back to September 2022, with the one exception coming when he was fifth in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita.

As usual, he made it look easy against California-breds. Taken in hand early to track pacesetting Sawasdee , he comfortably engaged and passed that rival in the stretch and coasted home under minimal urging from regular jockey Hector Berrios. He was clocked covering six furlongs in 1:09.37 and returned just $2.10 to win in defeating his three rivals.

Sawasdee held the runner-up spot, ahead of Moose Mitchell  in third and California Tiger  in fourth.

Trainer Eric Kruljac co-owns the millionaire Vronsky gelding with Sondereker Racing, Robert Fetkin, and Richard Thornburgh. Tiz Molly Partners bred him.

“He is a cool horse,” Kruljac said of The Chosen Vron. “I’m really truly speechless when you think about the whole three years of racing, what he has been through and what he has done.”

The Chosen Vron is now 18-for-23 with earnings of $1,419,678. All but one of his wins have been in stakes.

With the Hollywood Meet at Santa Anita concluding June 16, the racing action in Southern California soon shifts to Los Alamitos Race Course and Del Mar, where The Chosen Vron won the Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) last summer.

In other California-bred action on Gold Rush Day:

• Kings River Knight  led from start to finish in the $102,000 Crystal Water Stakes on turf under Juan Hernandez to notch his fifth straight win. John Sadler trains the Acclamation   gelding for owners Integrity Thoroughbred Racing, The Ellwood Johnston Trust, and Kenneth Tevelde.
• Stay and Scam  triumphed in the $102,500 Fran’s Valentine Stakes, running a mile on firm turf in 1:35.13, quicker than Kings River Knight’s clocking of 1:35.75 an hour earlier. Mario Gutierrez rode the Reddam Racing homebred daughter of Square Eddie  for trainer Doug O’Neill.
• Shady Tiger  went to the lead from the inside post and gamely turned back all challengers to win the $125,000 Snow Chief Stakes by a half-length. The 3-year-old Smiling Tiger   gelding won his fourth consecutive race for trainer Phil D’Amato and owner/breeder Rusty Brown. Following four sprints to start his career, Shady Tiger was up to the task of stretching out to 1 1/8 miles on the turf, stopping the timer in 1:49.70.

-This story will be updated with additional stakes results from California Gold Rush Day.

Q. I would like to plant California natives in my yard, but I don’t know where to buy them. I would also like to see them planted so I know what they look like when they’re full-grown.

Your original question was for Riverside County, but since I have readers all over Southern California, I will try to answer your question while providing information for gardeners in San Diego, Orange, and Los Angeles counties as well.

The California Native Plant Society’s website (Calscape.org) has comprehensive information on native plants, including photos, growing conditions, and the names and locations of nurseries where they can be purchased. Keep in mind that many of these nurseries will sell plants and seeds via mail order as well. If you join the CNPS, you will receive information on your local chapter’s activities, including plant sales.

Many botanical gardens have plant sales, usually more than once per year. These sales are usually open to the public, but they will offer members early access. Becoming a member doesn’t cost very much, and many gardens will honor each other’s memberships (though you will want to get on their e-mail lists so you can hit all the plant sales.)

It’s helpful to see the plants in their full-grown state because sometimes it’s difficult to get a sense of scale from a young plant in a container. For example, my neighbor purchased 5 or 6 Pride of Madeira plants in one-gallon pots. She found the leaf texture interesting and liked the color of the flowers. She didn’t realize that each plant could grow to 6 feet across and easily as tall. After a few years she had to remove them since they took over her front yard.

Most botanical gardens have a native plant display as well as a sprinkling of natives throughout the rest of the garden. In Southern California, any college that has a horticulture department will likely have a display garden. University of California, Riverside, Cal Poly Pomona, Palomar College, and Cal State Fullerton are just a few that come to mind. In addition, there are many public gardens not affiliated with schools.

Your local water department can be another resource since many have display gardens featuring water-wise landscape ideas, including native plants.

Some fire departments have gardens to demonstrate fire-resistant landscaping – always a good thing to be aware of in Southern California. Some California natives can be particularly flammable (California buckwheat comes to mind). This is because they often have a high oil content to protect their leaves from water loss. When planning a native landscape, keep in mind which plants may pose a fire hazard and plant them further away from your house or other flammable structures such as sheds and wood fences. Choose succulents and other less flammable plants for foundation planting. For more information on fire-smart landscaping, see readyforwildfire.org. 

Los Angeles County

mglosangeleshelpline@ucdavis.edu; 626-586-1988; http://celosangeles.ucanr.edu/UC_Master_Gardener_Program/

Orange County

ucceocmghotline@ucanr.edu; http://mgorange.ucanr.edu/

Riverside County

anrmgriverside@ucanr.edu; https://ucanr.edu/sites/RiversideMG/

San Bernardino County

mgsanbern@ucanr.edu; 909-387-2182; http://mgsb.ucanr.edu

A California teenager allegedly tried to carjack a sheriff’s deputy as a mob trashed the cruiser during an illegal street takeover earlier this month.

The delinquent, 15, was among three people arrested for their role in damaging a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputy vehicle in Highland, Calif. on May 11.

Shocking footage captured the large crowd kicking and jumping on top of the vehicle, which had already blared its lights to deter the vandals, according to KTLA.

“A male juvenile kicked and punched the patrol unit with other unidentified subjects,” the Highland Police said. “The patrol unit’s windshield was completely broken along with other reported damages caused by the juvenile.”

The deputy rushed to close the door before fleeing to safety.

“When I saw that video, I immediately put myself in the deputy’s shoes, and I wondered how he was going to get out of it,” San Bernardino Sheriff’s Public Information Officer, Gloria Huerta said according to KABC.

“When he realized what was going on, he activated the overhead lights and in an effort to try and scare the crowd and get them to go away, however that backfired.”

The street takeover saw the intersection flood when one of the individuals opened up a fire hydrant to flood the road, making it easier for the drivers to drift.

Investigators used the phone videos shot at the scene to identify the teen as the primary suspect.

Police determined that the juvenile had opened the cruiser’s driver door to overtake both the deputy and the vehicle.

Huerta says the deputy’s decision to drive away from the scene as opposed to taking on the violent crowd might have prevented a lethal-force encounter.

An arrest warrant was issued for the teen along with a search warrant for his home.

The teen was arrested on May 23 at around 6:30 a.m. at his home and charged with attempted carjacking and felony vandalism.

He was booked into the San Bernardino County Juvenile Hall.  

Two hours after the first street takeover, a second one took place where two more people were arrested but subsequently released, according to NBC Los Angeles.

“These individuals are not afraid of law enforcement by their behavior, it’s very disturbing,” said Huerta, added. “Participating in this kind of thing, whether you’re a spectator or you’re a driver in one of those vehicles – you’re either going to get caught and go to jail or you’re going to hurt somebody and go to jail – or hurt yourself…it’s just not worth it.”

Last month, a swarm of “masked tough guy wannabe thugs” trapped a Virginia cop inside her patrol car as they jumped on the hood and tore it apart.

Another driver mowed down an officer, who suffered a bruised wrist, as he rushed to the scene to help.

Ronal Urrea-Hernandez, 18, was allegedly behind the wheel when he crashed into the officer before fleeing the scene.

A 20-year old, Dylan Heckard, was busted when he posted a selfie with a middle finger on social media and police found it.