Hard to look beyond Vale Dori in La Canada
ARCADIA, Calif. – At least for the winter, Vale Dori is the leading older female in Southern California.
Vale Dori was an easy winner of the Grade 2 Bayakoa Handicap at odds of 1-2 at Del Mar on Dec. 3 and will be a similar price in Saturday’s $200,000 La Canada Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita.
This spring, the circumstances will change in the older female division. Songbird, expected to be named champion 3-year-old filly of 2016 later this month, is scheduled to return to racing, along with Stellar Wind, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2015. They are both being given winter breaks.
“There’s always something out there,” said Bob Baffert, who trains Vale Dori.
Vale Dori, who was bred in Argentina and raced there and in Dubai in 2015 and early 2016, was third behind Stellar Wind and Beholder in the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 1 in her American graded stakes debut. Beholder was retired after winning the Breeders’ Cup Distaff in November.
Vale Dori is unbeaten in two starts since the Zenyatta Stakes and has improved in recent months, Baffert said.
“I think she’s catching up,” Baffert said. “She’s matured a lot and changed.”
Vale Dori is part of a field of five in the Grade 2 La Canada and is the only stakes winner in the lineup. Wild At Heart, Show Stealer, and Autumn Flower were second, fourth, and sixth in the Bayakoa. Enduring Erin, claimed for $40,000 in July, will be making her stakes debut.
La Canada, Race 5
KEY CONTENDERS
Vale Dori, by Asiatic Boy
Last 3 Beyers: 91-95-91
◗ Vale Dori was a stakes winner in Argentina in 2015 and was stakes-placed in Dubai last March before joining Baffert’s stable last spring. Vale Dori rebounded from the loss in the Zenyatta to win an optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles by 10 1/4 lengths on Oct. 28.
◗ In the Bayakoa Handicap, Vale Dori was near the pace throughout under jockey Mike Smith and took the lead in early stretch. She pulled clear for a comfortable win with minimal urging.
“Mike rode her for the first time and was impressed with her,” Baffert said. “She’s been training right along. I think she’s improved since she got here last year.”
◗ Owned by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa al Maktoum of Dubai, Vale Dori has tactical speed, which could allow Smith to place the 5-year-old mare in the opening half-mile.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Vale Dori. Trainer Bob Baffert is 26-12-5-3 with a $2.78 ROI over the past five years in dirt route graded stakes with Mike Smith aboard last-out winners. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Wild At Heart, by Indian Charlie
Last 3 Beyers: 86-81-91
◗ There could be a competitive race for second if Vale Dori dominates the La Canada. Wild At Heart was within 1 1/2 lengths of Vale Dori with a furlong remaining in the Bayakoa Handicap in her second graded stakes around two turns. In April 2015, Wild At Heart was a well-beaten third in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks at 1 1/16 miles behind Stellar Wind.
◗ Trained by Richard Mandella, Wild At Heart was second in the Grade 3 L.A. Woman Stakes for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs on Oct. 9.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Wild At Heart. Trainer Richard Mandella is 27-3-7-4 with a $0.52 ROI over the past five years in dirt routes with Flavien Prat aboard. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Show Stealer, by Eskendereya
Last 3 Beyers: 84-90-87
◗ Show Stealer, trained by At Sherman, is a closer. She closed from seventh in the Bayakoa Handicap to finish 4 1/4 lengths behind Vale Dori in her first start since July and her stakes debut.
◗ Last May, Show Stealer won an optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles for her third career win.