Man O Rose staked his claim to the top of the California-bred division by winning by a nose in the $100,000 California Flag Handicap for state-breds at Santa Anita on Saturday.
The 5-year-old gelding, ridden by Edwin Maldonado for trainer Jeff Mullins and owner B&B Zietz Stables, paid $6.40 after passing the front-runner in the stretch and holding off fast-closing favorite Lovesick Blues while sprinting about 6½ furlongs on the downhill turf course in 1:11.07.
Man O Rose came in off a repeat win in the E.B. Johnston Stakes for Cal-breds at Los Alamitos and has nine wins in his past 13 starts. Lovesick Blues beat open company in the Grade I Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar.
Cal-bred leadership was up for grabs after this year’s retirements of The Chosen Vron and Kings River Knight, both California Flag winners.
In Sunday’s $100,000 California Distaff Handicap, a turf sprint for state-bred fillies and mares, Grand Slam Smile (6-5) is a slight morning-line favorite over Bit’s Tiger Magic (3-2).