Trainer Mullins has improving stakes horses in Artislas, Man O Rose

September has been a productive month in stakes for California trainer Jeff Mullins with runners on the upswing.

On Sept. 8, Artislas won his stakes debut in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf at a mile on closing day of the track’s summer meeting. On Saturday, Man O Rose won his stakes debut by eight lengths in the E.B. Johnston Stakes for California-bred milers at Los Alamitos.

Both could start at the Santa Anita autumn meeting.

The next stakes in Southern California for 2-year-olds on turf is the Grade 3 Zuma Beach Stakes at a mile on Oct. 6, which is designed as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 1.

Mullins said over the weekend that the BC Juvenile Turf is not in the immediate plans for Artislas, who must be supplemented to the Breeders’ Cup program for $100,000 to be eligible.

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Man O Rose won for the seventh time in his 12th start in the Johnston Stakes, the 4-year-old gelding’s first start at a mile. He led throughout, holding a one-length lead early before pulling clear through the long stretch at Los Alamitos.

The next stakes for California-breds in Southern California is the $100,000 California Flag Handicap at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita on Oct. 13.

Man O Rose has won 3 of 7 starts in turf sprints at Del Mar and Santa Anita, but has not started on the hillside turf course.

With his win at a mile on Saturday, Man O Rose could start a wide array of races on dirt or turf in sprints and around two turns.

Mullins said he was encouraged with the way Man O Rose ran on the lead in the first half-mile before winning at a new distance.

“He was in cruise control,” Mullins said. “When he’s like that, it will take a nice horse to get by him.”

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