The La Brea Stakes is a Grade I American thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies over a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt track held annually in late December at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, USA.
The inaugural running of the event was on 16 January 1974 for four-year-old horses over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles and was won by Mr. & Mrs Carl Galea's 11/1 longshot Niner Power by a margin of 2+1⁄2 lengths over First Majesty with Handsome Native 1⁄2 length back in third in a time of 1:434⁄5.
Until the series ended in 2011 when the El Encino Stakes was discontinued, only three fillies had ever won all three races: Taisez Vous (1978), Mitterand (1985), and Got Koko (2003).
[6] Although Savannah Slew retired after this event,[7] Lady's Secret whom she defeated into second place in 1986 had an outstanding year culminating with a victory in the Grade I Breeders' Cup Distaff and winning the U.S. Champion Older Filly award and being voted as United States Horse of the Year.
Prior to winning this event in 1988 Very Subtle had won the Grade I Breeders' Cup Sprint at Hollywood Park.