Ocean Bear, Sammy Davis Meet Again in Cal Cup Derby

Ocean Bear  stretches out to a route for the first time in kicking off his 3-year-old season in the $175,000 California Chrome Cal Cup Derby, one of five stakes for state-bred runners Jan. 17 at Santa Anita Park. The Cal Cup Derby is contested at 1 1/16 miles on the main track for California-bred or -sired 3-year-olds.

Ocean Bear, a homebred son of Bolt d'Oro   trained by George Papaprodromou for owner Richard Barton, seeks to improve upon his already stellar 3-1-0 record in four starts. Last out, Ocean Bear captured the 7-furlong Golden State Juvenile Stakes at Del Mar by three-quarters of a length over Sammy Davis , who battles him again Saturday. Neither has raced since the Oct. 31 Golden State Juvenile.

Legacy Ranch's Sammy Davis, trained by John Sadler, was part of the pace in the Golden State Juvenile before being worn down by Ocean Bear and settling for the runner-up spot. He won twice last year as a juvenile, including once at the stakes level, but both wins came at 5 furlongs. The Sir Prancealot   gelding is also untested at a route.

Sadler said Sammy Davis has struggled to switch leads.

“He’s an honest horse that runs good all the time, but we think he can do a little more,” the trainer said. 

Sadler plans to scratch his other runner, Can't Help Myself , most recently third in the Dec. 14 King Glorious Stakes at Los Alamitos Race Course. That race was won by Smoovin Saturday , who runs Saturday along with other King Glorious participants.

The King Glorious runner-up, John Metcalfe , has his connections confident.

"He's a horse that's very keen and we tried to teach him something that race, to relax back off the leaders," John Metcalfe's trainer Craig Anthony Lewis said. "He made a nice run and just got caught. The horse that caught him is very good and, in my opinion, is the horse to beat on Saturday."  

The Don Valpredo California Cup Sprint Stakes kicks off the stakes action Saturday as race 2. With five originally entered, the field for the 6-furlong event will be reduced to four, as graded stakes winner Big City Lights, who was looking to win the race for the second year in a row, will be a scratch, Daily Racing Form reported.

With the scratch of Big City Lights, 10-time winner Man O Rose  will be the morning-line favorite, with 2025 Malibu Stakes (G1) third-place finisher Speedy Wilson  leading the opposition. Man O Rose went 3-for-3 in 2025, winning The Chosen Vron Stakes, California Flag Handicap, and E.B. Johnston Stakes.

Also part of the stakes slate are the Unusual Heat Turf Classic Stakes, the Leigh Ann Howard California Cup Oaks, and the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint Stakes.