CYPRESS — When Los Alamitos Race Course opened a short thoroughbred meet this week, nobody was happier to return to the Orange County track than the connections of the 5-year-old gelding Man O Rose.
It was here, last year, that Man O Rose scored his first stakes-level win and first win beyond sprint distances when he and jockey Edwin Maldonado led from start to finish in the E.B. Johnston Stakes.
And it was here, Saturday afternoon, that Man O Rose recorded his first victory since then in identical style in the same $75,000, 1-mile race for California-bred 3-year-olds and up.
Maldonado again sent Man O Rose to the front immediately, and they maintained a clear advantage all the way to a 5-1/4-length win over Stamp My Passport and seven lengths over Mystic Spirit in a field of six.
Man O Rose paid $2.80 to $2 win bettors. He covered the mile in 1:35.52 – weirdly, exactly the same time as a year earlier.
It’s not necessarily the uniquely shaped Los Alamitos dirt oval that brings out the best in Man O Rose, who is 2 for 2 here but also a strong 6 for 13 on Santa Anita and Del Mar dirt and turf. It’s more that the E.B. Johnston is restricted to Cal-bred company, against which Man O Rose has won in five of his past six tries.
With Cal-bred sprint star The Chosen Vron retired in March and middle-distance leader Kings River Knight retired last week – each at age 7 – Man O Rose’s connections can see their son of Stanford and Kathleen Rose being the new state-bred standout.
“He’s a solid horse, and with The Chosen Vron and Kings River Knight retired, we should rise to the top now and hopefully take over that division,” trainer Jeff Mullins said in the Los Alamitos winner’s circle.
Mullins gets credit for getting Man O Rose ready to win in his first start since a second-place finish to Big City Lights in the Cary Grand Stakes at Del Mar last November.
“Very gratifying, and you’ve got to have a hell of a trainer,” said owner Bruce Zietz, a retired oncologist who lives in West Hills. “Not many horses can come off the bench and win at a mile.”
Maldonado said he never had a doubt.
“(Man O Rose) was training like a monster, so I was very confident,” the jockey said. “Around the second turn, he had his ears pricked and I knew I had a lot of horse. It’s a great feeling to win this race two years in a row.”
Edgar Payeras rode Code Duello ($10.40) and Big Bet ($47.20) to victories Saturday and leads the jockey standings with four victories after two days of the Los Al season.
Afternoon racing continues Sunday, next Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
