Man O Rose Romps As Favorite In Saturday’s Don Valpredo California Cup Sprint For California-Breds Going 6 Furlongs At Santa Anita

MAN O ROSE ROMPS AS FAVORITE IN SATURDAY’S DON VALPREDO CALIFORNIA CUP SPRINT FOR CALIFORNIA-BREDS GOING 6 FURLONGS AT SANTA ANITA

*The 6-year-old gelding by Stanford, owned and bred by B & B Zeitz Stables, has won four consecutive stakes for statebreds and five overall *

ARCADIA, CA (Jan. 17, 2026)—Man O Rose broke in front under Edwin Maldonado and was never challenged on his way to an easy nine-length win in Saturday’s $125,000 Don Valpredo California Cup Sprint for California-breds going six furlongs at Santa Anita.

Trained by Jeff Mullins, Man O Rose (4-5) set fractions of 21.85, 44.10 and 56.12 before crossing the wire in a sharp 1:08.68. Longshot Drop Um (29-1) ran on to be second under Kyle Frey for trainer Felix Rondan. Book Smart (2-1) checked in third followed by second choice Speedy Wilson (2-1).

Man O Rose’s task in the Sprint was made much easier Saturday morning when graded stakes winner Big City Lights was scratched by Richard Mandella. With no show wagering, Man O Rose paid $3.60 and $2.80 for the popular win. Drop Um returned $8.00.

Man O Rose, a 6-year-old gelding by Stanford, has now won four consecutive stakes for statebreds and five overall for owner-breeder B & B Zietz Stables Inc. He previously won the The Chosen Vron at seven furlongs on dirt at Del Mar in November, the California Flag Handicap on the hillside turf course in October and the E.B. Johnston at one mile on dirt for the second straight year at Los Alamitos in September. Man O Rose is now 18: 11-3-0 with more than $570,000 in earnings.

$125,000 DON VALPREDO CALIIFRONIA CUP SPRINT STAKES QUOTES

JOCKEY QUOTES

EDWIN MALDONADO, MAN O ROSE, WINNER: “He’s a tough dude. I have to thank Mullins for this horse, he has been a big supporter of mine from day one, 2010. Also thanks Doc as well, he has been a big supporter since day one. I’m just a passenger on this horse. He just wants to do it his way, and he is going to do it his way. He is getting better. He showed when he won on turf (California Flag Oct. 11), he showed that he can run on turf, a mile, or short. He’s really a nice horse. “

TRAINER QUOTES

JEFF MULLINS, MAN O ROSE, WINNER: “It’s pretty nice way to start the season. The key to Mon O Rose is just getting out quickly.”

OWNER QUOTES

DR. BRUCE ZIETZ, MAN O ROSE, WINNER: “I have been waiting 30 years for this. I have been breeding the whole family since the eighties, so it is quite a culmination of dreams if you will. Today is a day that California breeders and their horses get to excel. You have to look at the amount of money spent on really good horses, four, five, six hundred thousand dollars. It is pretty hard to make a profit on those horses. These horses here, you may only have ten or twenty thousand dollars in them, so if you make a profit like this, it is a big profit.”

NOTES: The winning owner and breeder is B&B Zietz Stables, Inc.