Euroears joins millionaire's club with record-setting Bing Crosby win

James E. and Marilyn Helzer's EUROEARS (Langfuhr) took the lead soon

after the start of Sunday's $250,000

Bing Crosby S. (G1) at Del Mar and proceeded to set a new Polytrack

record when wiring the six-furlong affair in 1:08.17, bettering the

previous record of 1:08.29 set by Cost of Freedom (Cee's Tizzy) on

August 9, 2008.

The veteran chestnut also capped off a stellar day for trainer Bob

Baffert, who was at Monmouth Park in New Jersey where he saddled Coil

(Point Given) to victory in the $1 million Haskell Invitational (G1).

A few hours after that race, Euroears set fractions of

:22, :44 1/5 and :55 4/5 while chased by Amazombie (Northern Afleet)

into the stretch of the Bing Crosby. Smiling Tiger (Hold That Tiger),

the even-money favorite in the race, broke awkwardly at the start and

found himself motoring in the rear but put in a plucky late run to miss

the win by 1 1/4 lengths on the wire. Euroears, the near 5-2 second

choice, paid $6.80, $3.60 and $2.80 for earning his first Grade 1

victory.

"He broke just a little slow," jockey Joel Rosario said of Smiling Tiger. "I

don't know if the post (No. 1) bothered him or not. I don't think so. He was

just a little slow out of there. Then I didn't rush him. I just let him run his

race. He ran well, but that winner had an easy lead and he was too much at the

finish."

Carbonite (Aldebaran) followed Amazombie by a length under the wire, with

Color of Courage (Came Home) another head back in fifth. Kinsale King (Yankee

Victor), who captured the 2010 Dubai Golden Shaheen (UAE-G1), finished last,

beaten a total of 3 1/4 lengths. Coffee Boy (Yonaguska) was withdrawn.

"He ran well," jockey Martin Pedroza said of Kinsale King. "The trainer (Carl

O'Callahan) and the owner (Patrick Sheehy) were happy with his effort. He needed

this one. He got a little tired. Next time for him."

With the winner's share from the Bing Crosby, Euroears has now banked

$1,041,526 to go along with his 19-10-2-2 mark. The seven-year-old began his

career with Bret Calhoun, winning his first six races including the Duncan F.

Kenner S., Colonel Power S. and F.W. Gaudin Memorial S. He suffered his first

loss while wrapping up his four-year-old season in the 2008 Bet on Sunshine H.

at Churchill Downs and would go on to also add the Thanksgiving H. to his record

in 2009.