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The Chosen Vron Continues Southern California Dominance

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The Chosen Vron Continues Southern California Dominance


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.

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“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.”

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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.

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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.

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California

Amber Alert issued for 3-year-old out of California City in Kern County

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Amber Alert issued for 3-year-old out of California City in Kern County


CALIFORNIA CITY, Calif. (KABC) — An Amber Alert was issued Friday by the California Highway Patrol for a 3-year-old child out of California City believed to be in imminent danger.

Emaria Peel, 3, was last seen Friday at about 7:17 p.m. in the area of Redwood Boulevard and 83rd Street in California City, according to police.

Authorities believe 31-year-old Charnay Mclin took Emaria. Investigators have not yet said what relationship, if any, Mclin has to the child.

The suspect was described as being 5 feet 9 inches tall, 185 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.

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The child was described as being 1 foot 6 inches, 20 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.

Police believe they’re traveling in a gold-colored 2021 Kia Sorento with the California license plate: 36095DV

Mclin is considered armed and dangerous. Authorities wants anyone who sees them to call 911.

No further details were immediately known.

Copyright © 2026 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.

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Northern California high school graduation shooting suspect arrested in Texas

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Northern California high school graduation shooting suspect arrested in Texas



A 17-year-old suspect has been arrested in Texas in connection with the deadly shooting after a high school graduation ceremony in Fairfield, California last month, police said.

Fairfield police said U.S. Marshals, accompanied by department detectives, served search and arrest warrants Friday morning at a home in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The teen was taken into custody without incident on suspicion of murder and related offenses.

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Investigators said the suspect fled California and traveled to Texas within days of the June 3 shooting. He will remain in custody while awaiting extradition to Solano County.

The shooting happened after Sem Yeto Continuation High School’s graduation ceremony, which was held on the Fairfield High School campus.

Police said 18-year-old graduate Jamario Baker died at the scene. Three others – an 11-year-old child and two adults, ages 20 and 25 – were wounded.

Authorities have not released the suspect’s name because he is a minor.

Although an arrest has been made, police said the investigation remains active and detectives continue to pursue additional leads.

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“While today’s announcement may provide a measure of relief to some, it does not lessen the pain felt by our community,” the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District said in a statement.

Police plan to hold a news conference Monday at 4 p.m. to discuss the case and arrest. 

Fairfield is a Northern California city about 40 miles northwest of San Francisco. 



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California bill would let insurers monitor driving data for discounts

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California bill would let insurers monitor driving data for discounts


A California bill would let insurers monitor customers’ driving data in exchange for discounted premiums.

Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, the author of AB 311, said the digital monitoring, known as telematics, rewards good driving and would improve safety. In real time, telematics technology would track data such as speed, location and how a vehicle is being driven.

“We have to slow people down,” McKinnor said. “That is the whole purpose for this bill, is driver safety.”

A voter-approved law from 1988, Prop 103, required insurance rates to be based mainly on driving record, miles driven and experience. It made California the only state in the country to prohibit telematics. 

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McKinnor believes the law is outdated. She argued that her bill would also help good drivers who pay higher rates because of where they live. 

“Where I live definitely brings my insurance up,” McKinnor said. “If we both drive the same way, we’ll get charged the same way, instead of by our ZIP code.”

California’s Department of Insurance and consumer groups oppose the bill, citing privacy concerns. 

“We can’t look behind the algorithm and see what weight it’s giving to different criteria, which is a big problem,” said Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog. “Auto insurance, otherwise, is transparent. This is why the Department of Insurance is opposed, because of the lack of transparency in the algorithm.”

The proposed savings in exchange for good driving might not be guaranteed. Telematics data from the Maryland Insurance Administration showed that 31% of drivers who opted into the program saw a drop in rates, 24% saw an increase and 45% saw no change to their premiums. 

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“This collects an awful lot of data about people, more than they know, and it’s like having Big Brother in your back seat,” Court said. 

McKinnor insisted that drivers will not be forced to enroll in the program. 

“It’s still opt-in in the other 49 states,” she said. “We’re not going to make this mandatory. It’ll be a per-volunteer situation.”

McKinnor’s bill passed through the legislature’s insurance committee. It’s expected to be presented to the full Senate in August.

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