California native Man O’ Rose steps up to compete in the Madaket Road division under trainer Jeff Mullins, who recently placed fourth in Malibu’s Grade 1 event during Santa Anita’s opening day. Man O’ Rose returns to Arcadia, California, to race at Bob Baffert’s home track in Sunday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Palos Verdes Stakes, a six-furlong contest for older horses.
In the seven-furlong race at Malibu on December 28, Madaket Road briefly led after the halfway point but lost steam down the stretch, finishing fourth. Last year, the 4-year-old colt by Quality Road, owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, and partners, secured second place in three graded stakes, including the Grade 1 Woody Stephens over seven furlongs at Saratoga. Kazushi Kimura will be riding Madaket Road for the first time.
Man O’ Rose is making his stakes race debut after winning four straight state-bred stakes. This 5-year-old gelding bred in Stanford recently dominated the six-furlong Don Valpredo California Cup Sprint on January 17, winning by nine lengths. Owned by the B and B Zeitz stable and homebred, Man O’ Rose has amassed 18 wins, 11 losses, and 3 third-place finishes, earning $572,965 to date, with Emisael Jaramillo as his jockey.
Joining Madaket Road for Bob Baffert in the Palos Verdes is Pilot Commander. Returning to action at Santa Anita on January 16 after a nine-and-a-half-month layoff, Pilot Commander was bumped in the neck by seasoned winner Midnight Mammoth in a competitive seven-furlong race. The 5-year-old son of Justify won the Grade 3 San Carlos at seven furlongs last March. Owned by CSLR Racing Partners, Pilot Commander holds a record of 8 starts with 4 wins and 3 seconds, earning $254,800, and will be ridden by Florent Geroux for the first time.
Grade 3 Palos Verdes Stakes, Jockey and Weights, Post Positions
Race 8 of 9 – Estimated finish around 4:00 PM PT
- Man O Rose — Emisael Jaramillo — 122 lbs
- Pilot Commander — Florent Geroux — 124 lbs
- Modus Bestia — Antonio Fres — 120 lbs
- Smooth Cruise — Tiago Pereira — 120 lbs
- Lispnaccance — Tyler Bays — 120 lbs
- Madaket Road — Kazushi Kimura — 120 lbs
This was first posted at 12:30 PM PT on Sunday.
Originally published by Paulick Report on February 10, 2026 in their News section.
Fan Take:
This matchup highlights up-and-coming talent challenging established competitors, making the Palos Verdes Stakes an exciting preview of future stars in older horse sprinting. For horse racing fans, the race not only promises thrilling competition but also showcases the depth and quality of California-based racing, reinforcing its significance on the national stage.
