Saturday’s $400,000 Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) at Del Mar is the meet’s first of six Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win & You’re In” races this summer, and the winner will punch their ticket to make the gate for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Keeneland on October 31.
Named for entertainer and Del Mar co-founder Bing Crosby, who helped launch the track in 1937, the race was first run in 1946 and has long been a key West Coast sprint showcase. It was elevated to Grade 3 status in 1985 and Grade 1 in 2004.
The race was briefly contested over a synthetic surface from 2007–2014 before returning to dirt for the 2015 renewal.
Some of the more notable past winners include champions, Breeders’ Cup heroes and/or Grade 1 winners Chinook Pass (1983), Thirty Slews (1992), The Wicked North (1994), Lit de Justice (1996), Kona Gold (2000–2001), Amazombie (2012), Points Offthebench (2013), Lord Nelson (2016), Ransom The Moon (2017-2018) and The Chosen Vron (2023–2024).
The race’s leading jockey is Flavien Prat with 6 wins (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021).
Leading trainers are Bob Baffert with 4 wins (1992, 2009, 2011, 2016) and the late Bruce Headley with 4 wins (1998, 2000, 2001, 2008).
A competitive field of nine has been set and will be led by the Baffert-trained Cornucopian (3-1), who is the standout on recent form with three wins from four starts this year, including Grade 3 scores in the San Carlos at Santa Anita and Aristides at Churchill Downs, his lone loss a fifth in the Churchill Downs Stakes (G1) at seven furlongs on Kentucky Derby Day. A lightly raced 4-year-old with upside, the $1.1 million son of Into Mischief is flawless at six furlongs with two wins at the distance. The 4-year-old colt typically shows tactical speed so with a hot pace expected, he is a logical favorite under Juan Hernandez.
Phil D’Amato trains Maximum Bourbon (7-2), who enters off an easy win in a restricted stakes at Churchill Downs in fast time in late April. Freshened since, the lightly raced son of Maximum Security owns a solid overall record, though he faces graded company for the first time here. He has shown the ability to rate or press the pace, but the class jump is the main question at what will likely be short odds. D’Amato, who has won this race twice, calls on Joel Rosario to ride.
D’Amato also sends out Stronghold (4-1), who won the 2024 Santa Anita Derby (G1) but has thrived as a sprinter and is coming off a win in the seven-furlong Triple Bend Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita as the odds-on favorite. He is a versatile type who can rate or press and is consistent, though six furlongs may be a touch short, but his class and recent form keep him firmly in the mix. Antonio Fresu rides.
Listenupshance (8-1) was a game third as a huge longshot against top sprinters Book’em Danno and Bentornato in the True North Stakes (G2) at Saratoga on Belmont Stakes Day for trainer Doug O’Neill. He is a perfect 2-for-2 at Del Mar and can sit just off the pace or close and be effective. His local affinity and recent effort against elite company definitely put him in the hunt for an exotics check.
Veteran 6-year-old Dr. Venkman (4-1) loves Del Mar, having won four of seven starts at the seaside oval with a third for trainer Mark Glatt. He finished fourth in last year’s Bing Crosby and was third in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) over the track, but was a tiring sixth in the Bango Stakes at Churchill in his only 2026 start. He is a versatile stalker/closer type who could improve sharply back on his preferred surface and track. Umberto Rispoli will ride.
For All Mankind (12-1) most recently finished second in the Speightstown Sprint Stakes at Lone Star Park and has not won a race in 23 months. He will need a significant step forward against this deeper group. He typically races mid-pack or from off the pace, but looks more like an exotic longshot than a win threat for trainer John Sadler and Armando Ayuso.
Gold Sweep (15-1), who will carry Hall of Famer Mike Smith, finished fourth (ahead of Dr. Venkman) in the Bango Stakes last out and was previously third behind Cornucopian in the Aristides, beaten just 2 ½ lengths. The John Haran trainee has shown speed and consistency to hit the board, but appears a notch below the top two or three. He will be an early pace factor either up on the engine or just off of it early.
Midwest-based Mad House (12-1) won the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn two back but then faded to fifth after setting the pace in the Aristides in his most recent, beaten eight lengths. Unfortunately, he was last in the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) last year, putting a class question mark in place here. He has pure early speed and will likely try to dictate from the front, and the near the outside post could help him clear early. Recent efforts suggest he is a longshot, however, for trainer David VanWinkle and jockey Sonny Leon.
Moonlight (20-1) has never raced shorter than a mile and looks an odd fit for a Grade 1 six-furlong sprint. The Peter Miller trainee, who will be ridden by Hall of Famer Victor Espinoza, will need to show a completely new dimension to be a factor and is best viewed as a longshot with limited sprint credentials.
| # | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maximum Bourbon | J Rosario | P D'Amato | 7/2 |
| 2 | Listenupshance | E Jaramillo | D F O'Neill | 8/1 |
| 3 | Dr. Venkman | U Rispoli | M Glatt | 4/1 |
| 4 | For All Mankind | A Ayuso | J W Sadler | 12/1 |
| 5 | Stronghold | A Fresu | P D'Amato | 4/1 |
| 6 | Cornucopian | J J Hernandez | B Baffert | 3/1 |
| 7 | Gold Sweep | M E Smith | J Haran | 15/1 |
| 8 | Mad House | S Leon | D VanWinkle | 12/1 |
| 9 | Moonlight | V Espinoza | P Miller | 20/1 |
Last Updated on 07/23/2026
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