For Immediate Release

POMONA, Calif., Sept. 20--Trainer Mel Stute and jockey Martin Pedroza, career

leaders in victories at Fairplex Park, joined forces to win the 21st running

of the $50,000-guaranteed Pio Pico Stakes on Friday with Warren's Whistle,

who won the race for the second consecutive year.

It was the 170th career win for Stute and his 42nd stakes triumph at the Los

Angeles County Fair, both records. For Pedroza, it marked career win No. 334,

also tops at the Pomona track.

Warren's Whistle, a 4-year-old California-bred daughter of Wolf Power,

rallied from eighth and last going into the first turn in the 6 1/2 furlong

race. Pedroza saved ground down the backstretch and again turning for home to

win by three-quarters of a length under 122 pounds in 1:16.86.

Always the Lady, a 23-1 shot ridden by Matt Garcia, set the pace and led into

the stretch by 1 1/2 lengths but could withstand the late charge of Warren's

Whistle, who was winning a stakes race at Fairplex for the third consecutive

year. She has a 7-3-9 mark from 39 career starts and earned $27,500 with the

victory, increasing her total to $585,058.

"She's won the last three years here," Stute said. "Martin rides this track

so well. With another rider, it might have been different, you never know.

But she ran good."

Cinnful Bride finished third, a length behind Always the Lady. Harvest Girl,

Song of Summer, Proud Tammie, Miss Santa Ana and Filigree completed the order

of finish in the field of Cal-bred fillies, 3-year-old and up.

Ionia is the 6-5 morning line favorite in Saturday's 13th running of the

$100,000-estimated Barretts Debutante for 2-year-old fillies at 6 1/2

furlongs. The field in post position order: Spinning at Dawn, Luis Jauregui,

113, 15-1; Last Kiss, Tyler Baze, 113, 7-2; Four Tens at Once, 113, Isaias

Enriquez, 15-1; Sky's Snow, Matt Garcia, 115, 4-1; Ionia, Goncalino Almeida,

115, 6-5; Leniently, Martin Pedroza, 113, 8-1; King of the Cats, Danny

Sorenson, 113, 12-1; A Reel Tizzy, Iggy Puglisi, 113, 15-1; Midterm Habit,

Felipe Martinez, 113, 30-1; and Lucky Turk, Tony Noguez, 113, 30-1. Spinning

at Dawn and Four Tens at Once are coupled as a David J. Lanzman Racing

Stable, Inc. entry.

First post time daily is 12:30 p.m.

-30-