ARCADIA, Calif. - Rose Dawson had never started on turf, had never raced beyond 5 1/2 furlongs, and had never started in a stakes before Saturday’s $202,000 California Cup Oaks at Santa Anita. No problem. At all. Rose Dawson handled all those elements to win her stakes debut, and remain unbeaten after two starts, in the California Cup Oaks for statebred 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf. Ridden by leading jockey Flavien Prat, Rose Dawson closed from 11th in a field of 12 in the final quarter-mile to take the lead in the final sixteenth. Earlier in the day, winning trainer Phil D’Amato admitted Rose Dawson would need to prove her ability to be a factor in the Cal Cup Oaks. Rose Dawson had won a maiden special weight race for 2-year-old fillies by four lengths at 5 1/2 furlongs at Los Alamitos on Dec. 5 in her debut, but faced a different challenge in the California Cup Oaks. :: Bet the races with confidence on DRF Bets. You're one click away from the only top-rated betting platform fully integrated with exclusive data, analytics, and expert picks. “Did I make a big mistake?” D’Amato recalled thinking. “She won so easily at Los Alamitos. I thought, this is a good time to take a swing. When I got Flavien that made the difference. He gave her a beautiful ride.” Rose Dawson ($11.40) was timed in 1:36.07 and was the third choice. Rose Dawson earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 68. Prat had Rose Dawson in 11th with a quarter-mile remaining and was able to move the filly to an outside position without impediment in early stretch. Rose Dawson was fifth with a furlong remaining and closed well to win by a length. Big Novel (5-1) closed with interest to finish second under jockey John Velazquez. “She was running,” Velazquez said. “The other one was better.” Vivacious Vanessa, the 3-1 favorite, finished third, followed by Ellamira, Dendera, Madiha, Eleuthera, Munny Penny, Vaping Angel, La Deuxieme Etoile, Precious Insight, and Professors’ Pride. Dendera (9-1) finished 4 1/4 lengths behind Rose Dawson after being checked in traffic at a pivotal time in the stretch. Professors’ Pride, the 3-1 second choice, dueled with Eleuthera on the lead through early fractions of 23.11 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 46.96 for a half-mile and faded through the stretch. Professors’ Pride, ridden by Umberto Rispoli, raced on the inside throughout and was challenged by Eleuthera, who was ridden by Mario Gutierrez. “I couldn’t really relax her,” Rispoli said. “I was slowing her down and Mario was slowing down next to me. I wanted to let him go, so I could get outside of him.” Rose Dawson, by Grazen, has earned $141,200 for owner and breeder Nick Alexander in her two starts. Rose Dawson was the second stakes winner of the program for D’Amato and Prat. D’Amato won the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint with Leggs Galore. Prat had two stakes wins on the day, having won the Unusual Heat Turf Classic for older horses with Aligato.