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 his wins came at 5 furlongs. The Sir Prancealot  gelding is also untested at a route. His

The field of 11 also includes the top five finishers from Dec. 14 King Glorious Stakes at Los Alamitos Race Course, a race won by Smoovin Saturday. His runner up, John Metcalfe, has his connections confident. His trainer Craig Lewis stated, "He's a horse that's very keen and we tried to teach him something that race, to relax back off the leaders. 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."  

Besides the Cal Cup Derby, another intriguing stakes race is the Don Valpredo California Cup Sprint Stakes, as graded stakes winner Big City Lights seeks to win for the second year in a row. He romped by 7 3/4 lengths in the race in January 2025. He was also runner-up in the 2023 California Cup Sprint.

In his only other starts last year, the Mr. Big horse ran eighth in the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Del Mar and was a close ninth there in the Nov. 30 Stormy Liberal Stakes when tried in a turf sprint by Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella. All seven of the 7-year-old's victories have come on dirt, topped by the 2024 Palos Verdes Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita for owner William Peeples.

2025 Malibu Stakes (G1) show finisher Speedy Wilson and 10-time winner Man O Rose lead the opposition in the 6-furlong sprint. Man O Rose went 3-for-3 in 2025, winning The Chosen Vron Stakes, California Flag Handicap, and E.B. Johnston Stakes.

The Cal Cup Derby is the eighth race on the card, while the California Cup Sprint is carded as the second race with only five entered.

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.