Wickedly Perfect captures the Sorrento

DEL MAR, Calif. - Wickedly Perfect gave jockey Rafael Bejarano his fourth win on Friday with a game performance in the $150,000 Sorrento Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Del Mar.

Bejarano won the third through fifth races, did not ride the sixth, and returned to win the Grade 3 Sorrento. Sent off as the fourth choice, Wickedly Perfect ($13.80) was always near the front, stalking pacesetters Dawnie Macho and Final Mesa through a quick pace of 21.89 and 44.90 seconds.

Wickedly Perfect took the lead in early stretch and led by a length at the eighth pole and at the wire, finishing 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.18. A filly by Congrats, Wickedly Perfect finished in front of A Z Warrior, who closed from sixth in a field of seven and was a head in front of Izshelegal, a maiden who was last early.

Wickedly Perfect and A Z Warrior were the only fillies in the field without stakes experience.

She'll Heir finished fourth, followed by Belleofthebridle, Final Mesa, and Dawnie Macho. Final Mesa, the 9-5 favorite, was beaten for the first time in her four-race career. Owner-trainer Wesley Ward considered scratching Final Mesa Friday morning after expressing concern about a slow workout last weekend but decided to leave her in the race.

Wickedly Perfect has won both of her starts for a partnership led by the Kenly family's STD Racing. Trained by Doug O'Neill, Wickedly Perfect has earned $84,600. She beat maidens in a five-furlong race at Hollywood Park on June 27. Wickedly Perfect is the first North American stakes winner for Congrats, who stands at stud in Florida.
The Kenlys campaigned Lava Man in partnership in the last decade after he was claimed for $50,000. Lava Man later won seven Grade 1 races.