ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 29, 2009) – With Joe Talamo subbing in the saddle for a flu-ridden Rafael Bejarano, Mona de Momma closed swiftly to score a handy, 2 ½-length victory Thursday over slightly favored Mi Chiamano Mimi in Oak Tree’s $41,120 allowance feature for fillies and mares at six furlongs over Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface.

Trainer John Sadler’s 3-year-old daughter of Speightstown thus atoned for a third-place finish as the $1.10 choice in an allowance event earlier this month that followed a pair of victories at Del Mar by a combined 6 ½ lengths.

Rallying from well off the pace in a field of six, Mona de Momma ran the distance in 1:09.00 while sent off at odds of 17-10. Mi Chiamano Mimi, the 7-5 favorite who had not raced in nearly a year, held on for second under Garrett Gomez. Sleep Tight, the latter’s stablemate ridden by Michael Baze, finished another 1 ½ lengths back in third.

The winner paid $5.40, $2.40 and $2.20. Mi Chiamano Mimi, the comebacking winner of last year’s Anoakia Stakes, returned $2.80 and $2.20. Sleep Tight paid $2.40 to show.

“She settled nicely into fourth,” Talamo said of Mona de Momma in the winner’s circle. “Then she showed a tremendous kick the last part of it. She really impressed me. I liked the way she moved from the inside to the outside. She did everything right.”

It was the third win in six starts for the bay filly owned by Michael Talla. The winning purse of $24,000 increased her earnings to $108,920.

Oak Tree offers the final of its popular “Free Fridays” programs this week. General admission and box seats on a first-come, first-served basis will be free on Friday. The price is $1 for hot dogs, sodas, beer, popcorn and coffee. First post for the card of eight races is at 2 p.m.