by Jenny Blandford

Former claimer Dearest Trickski made all the pace en route to a  1 1/2-length victory in her stakes debut in the $250,000 La Brea Stakes (G1) on Saturday at Santa Anita Park, extending her winning streak to four.

The Proudest Romeo filly was claimed by trainer John Sadler for Tom Mankiewicz for $32,000 on August 4 at Del Mar and has won each of her four starts for her new connections.

Dearest Trickski set an uncontested pace along the inside in :22.52 for the opening quarter and :44.53 for a half-mile. Jockey Mike Smith angled her in slightly on the turn and Dearest Trickski held on gamely under urging to cover seven furlongs in 1:21.09 on the all-weather Cushion Track surface. 

“She’s been great on the synthetics,” Sadler said. “Some [horses] don’t like the synthetics, so you hope you have some that really will move up on it and she’s been that horse.”

Unspoken Word stalked from second and held on to finish 2 1/4 lengths clear of third-place finisher Glorified. Grade 3 winner Sindy With an S, the 5-to-2 favorite in the field of 11 three-year-old fillies, unleashed a late rally but could not catch Dearest Trickski and finished fourth.

Dearest Trickski entered off a 5 3/4-length win in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance race on November 18 at Hollywood Park. Prior to that, she won a six-furlong allowance/optional claiming race on October 12 at Bay Meadows Race Course and a claiming race at the same distance on September 4 at Del Mar, which was her first start for Sadler.  

Bred in Florida, Dearest Trickski is the first starter out of the winning Peteski mare Trickski. She improved to eight wins in 12 career starts and boosted her bankroll to $280,500.

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Jenny Blandford is a Thoroughbred Times assistant daily news editor