Man O Rose © Benoit Photo
Man O Rose, coming into the race off a two-win streak, is looking to stay perfect in the $100,000 The Chosen Vron Stakes for California-bred or sired three years-old and up going seven furlongs at Del Mar.
The 43rd running of the former Cary Grant Stakes is now renamed after two-time Cal-bred horse of the year for 2024 and 2025, The Chosen Vron. The retired gelding was a four-time winner at Del Mar and winner of the Cary Grant twice.
Trained by Jeff Mullins, Man O Rose is coming off two state-bred stakes wins in his only starts this year. In the EB Johnston stakes at Los Alamitos on September 13th, Man O Rose went wire to wire to score going two turns by 5 ¼ lengths. He followed that win with a nose victory in taking the California Flag Handicap at six and a half furlongs down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course. A homebred for B and B Zietz Stables, Man O Rose is 16-9-3-0 with $440,965 in earnings, he will be ridden by regular rider Edwin Maldonado who has guided him to all his victories.
Shea Brennan switches back to dirt after a fourth-place finish in the California Flag, when beaten by Man O Rose by 1 ¼ lengths. Armando Ayuso guided the three-year-old Tough Sunday colt to a 3 ½ length win in an optional claiming race here on August 31st will be in the irons. Shea Brennan is trained by Phil D’Amato for owner and breeder Nick Alexander and has always hit the board at Del Mar with a record of 5-2-1-2.
Field of seven in post-position order: Shea Brennan, Armando Ayuso; Clovisconnection, Juan Hernandez; R Heisman, Antonio Fresu; Drop Um, Kyle Frey; Man O Rose, Edwin Maldonado; Stamp My Passport, Diego Herrera; Style Cat, Umberto Rispoli.
First post time for a nine-race card Saturday is 12:30 PM The Chosen Vron Stakes goes as the eighth race with an approximate post time of 4 PM PT.