Trainer John Sadler has a strong one-two punch with recent grade I winner Dearest Trickski and Lady Gamer in the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Sprint set for the Santa Anita Cushion Track Jan. 26.
The six-furlong event, which drew a field of 10 older fillies and mares, is one of eight stakes set for Florida and California breds to be contested at Santa Anita and Gulfstream parks.
Clark and Janine Hansen's Lady Gamer is the slight 3-1 morning line favorite in the Filly & Mare Sprint. Garrett Gomez, the 2007 Eclipse Award winner as the nation's leading jockey, rides the consistent 5-year-old California-bred daughter of Game Plan. Coming off a six-furlong stakes win on the Hollywood Park Cushion Track with Gomez aboard Dec. 9, the bay has posted a 5-4-1 mark in 12 starts for earnings of $292,115. She has hit the board in her past seven starts.
Dearest Trickski powered to four consecutive gate-to-wire victories to conclude her 2007 campaign for Sadler and owner Tom Mankiewicz, most recently capturing the seven-furlong La Brea Stakes (gr. I) for 3-year-old fillies Dec. 29 on the Santa Anita main track. The Florida-bred Proudest Romeo filly, winner of eight of 12 lifetime starts with earnings of $280,500, was claimed by Sadler for $32,000 at Del Mar last August. To be guided by Mike Smith, who rode her for the first time in the La Brea, she is 4-1 on the morning line.
Dearest Trickski figures to get quite a tussle on the front end this time from More Angels, breaking from the rail under Richard Migliore, and Cher Ami, with Ariel Smith aboard. Several others will help ensure an honest pace on the sizzling Santa Anita main track as well.
Calder shipper Cher Ami (8-1), a 4-year-old Florida-bred Lost Soldier filly, won the seven-furlong Chaposa Springs Handicap by nearly six lengths Dec. 29. Trained by Larry Bates for Albert and Eric Wirth, who bred her, Cher Ami is on a roll with five wins in her past seven starts since last spring, all coming in stakes races at Calder.
More Angels (8-1), a 5-year-old California-bred mare by Slew of Angels, invades from New York for trainer Bruce Levine after a successful foray into stakes company at Aqueduct in her last two starts. Owned by Vince Scuderi and Roddy Valente, More Angels won the Smart Angle on the outer dirt at the Big A in front-running fashion Nov. 11. The bay returned to finish second in the Garland of Roses Handicap over the inner course in her most recent effort Dec. 1.
The race also features the return of Warren B. Williamson's California homebred Tiz Elemental, last seen winning the 1 1/16-mile Melair Stakes for California breds at Hollywood Park April 29. Trained by Carla Gaines, the 4-year-old Cee's Tizzy bay, 7-2 on the early line, won three of five starts while earning $237,680 before going to the sidelines.
$300,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Sprint (Race 4, 1:14 p.m.), California and Florida Bred, 4 & Up, 6 Furlongs (All Weather)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey, ML Odds
1. More Angels (CA), 122, Richard Migliore, 8/1
2. Sekira (FL), 121, Alex O. Solis, 20/1
3. Coli Bear (FL), 122, Jeremy Rose, 10/1
4. Tiz Elemental (CA), 121, Victor Espinoza, 7/2
5. Prime Catch (FL), 121, David R. Flores, 20/1
6. Cher Ami (FL), 121, Ariel Smith, 8/1
7. Lady Gamer (CA), 122, Garrett K. Gomez, 3/1
8. Dearest Trickski (FL), 121, Mike E. Smith, 4/1
9. Shaggy Mane (CA), 122, Cornelio H. Velasquez, 8/1
10. Dixie Dreamer (FL), 122, Eddie Castro, 20/1
Dearest Trickski concluded her 2007 campaign with four consecutive victories.
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