Stretching out, Man O Rose could be lone speed in E.B. Johnston

Although he is a sprinter in his first route, even though he is an allowance runner in his first stakes, and despite finishing last in his most recent start, Man O Rose looks formidable in the $75,000 E.B. Johnston Stakes on Saturday at Los Alamitos.

Lone speed always commands respect, and Man O Rose could be loose on the lead when he goes long in the stakes for older statebreds. After winning 6 of 11 sprints, Man O Rose will test his stamina at one mile in the E.B. Johnston for California-breds.

“We always wanted to try him two turns,” trainer Jeff Mullins said. “We figured against Cal-breds would be the place to do it.”

The timing is right, neither recent E.B. Johnston winner is in the way. Grade 1 winner The Chosen Vron (2022) will train into the Breeders’ Cup Sprint; multiple stakes winner Kings River Knight (2023) is sidelined and expected back later this year.

While the E.B. Johnston does not include the two top California-breds, the eight-runner field did attract the occasionally fast Cowboy Mike and stakes winners Coalinga Road and Fast Draw Munnings. Outsiders are Don’t Fight the Fed, Rhino, Shortman, and El Rey Dorado.

Man O Rose should control the pace and win the race. Owned by breeders Bruce and Beverly Zietz, Man O Rose reached top form winning four allowance sprints on dirt and turf this year. His streak ended when he finished last Aug. 2 in a Del Mar allowance turf sprint. The race did not unfold to his liking.

“He doesn’t like horses outside him,” Mullins explained. “Edwin [Maldonado] tried to send to get in front, and the horse just wouldn’t go.”

It’s an old quirk. Last year, Mullins fitted Man O Rose with an extension blinker when he was getting out and reluctant to train.

“We put it on thinking it might keep him in, and he wouldn’t see those horses on the outside,” Mullins said. “But he didn’t like the blinker, either. We took the blinker off, and he started running,”

With blinkers off, Man O Rose won six of his next eight starts. Although he is untested around two turns, Mullins and Maldonado believe the gelding’s natural speed and ability to relax will allow him to stay.

“The thing about him is once he’s clear, he turns off,” Mullins said. “He’ll idle. He’ll just cruise along. He’s not a rank horse, he’s not one of those run-off types. Edwin doesn’t think the horse will have a problem getting a route.”

Man O Rose routinely runs the opening half-mile in 44 and change, which puts him on the lead in the E.B. Johnston. Man O Rose is sired by Stanford, produced by turf-miler Kathleen Rose.

The main rival for Man O Rose is Cowboy Mike, who has solid form from this spring at Santa Anita in fast allowance races. Bob Baffert trains 4-for-12 Cowboy Mike, who could tuck into a good trip right behind the speed.

Coalinga Road, age 7, will be rolling late. Fast Draw Munnings, the E.B. Johnston runner-up last year, was claimed for $40,000 two weeks ago from a sixth-place comeback at Del Mar.

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