Finest City, Vale Dori could meet again in Beholder Mile

ARCADIA, Calif. – Vale Dori and Finest City, the first two finishers in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita last Saturday, may have a rematch in early June.

Vale Dori will be pointed for the Grade 1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita on June 3, trainer Bob Baffert said in a text message Wednesday. The $400,000 Beholder Mile is one of three stakes that trainer Ian Kruljac is considering for Finest City, the champion female sprinter of 2016. Finest City also could start in the $300,000 Humana Distaff at seven furlongs at Churchill Downs on May 6, Kentucky Derby Day, or the $300,000 Gamely Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita on May 27. Both are Grade 1 races.

Kruljac said the California races have greater appeal than the Humana Distaff.

“We’re not too keen on shipping, with the Breeders’ Cup the final goal,” he said.

Finest City won the BC Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita last November. The same race will be run at Del Mar on Nov. 4.

In the $401,035 Santa Margarita Stakes at 1 1/8 miles, Vale Dori led throughout to win by 1 1/2 lengths over Finest City, who was within a head of the lead for the first six furlongs. The Santa Margarita was the fourth consecutive stakes win for Vale Dori, who races for Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al-Maktoum of Dubai.

Vale Dori was a Group 1 winner in Argentina in 2015. A winner of 8 of 13 starts, Vale Dori won three consecutive Grade 2 races at Del Mar and Santa Anita last fall and over the winter – the Bayakoa Stakes at Del Mar and the La Canada and Santa Ana stakes at Santa Anita.

Kruljac said he would not hesitate to try Finest City at 1 1/8 miles again.

“She got the distance, but Vale Dori was better,” Kruljac said. “We can tip our hat and move on. She came out of the race in good shape.”

Owned by Tyler Seltzer, Finest City, a 5-year-old mare by City Zip, has won 5 of 16 starts and earned $1,125,594.