Santa Rosa: Calle Vista wins Luther Burbank

Calle Vista made a strong run through the stretch to claim her first stakes victory in the $55,900 Luther Burbank Handicap at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa on Sunday.

Jockey Kerwin John settled Calle Vista ($10.60) into a comfortable stride in the middle of the pack of seven fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the turf. He moved four wide in the clear on the second turn, and Calle Vista rallied determinedly to pass her rivals.

She edged past Going for a Spin as the field headed for home and then went by tiring pacesetter Sweetly Peppered, who faded to last. She seemed to have Bleach Blonde measured and pulled clear to win by a length in 1:46.55 as Bleach Blonde finished second for the second year in a row in the race. Bleach Blonde held off the late-running Cathy’s Crunches by a nose for second.

Calle Vista, a 5-year-old Pleasantly Perfect mare trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, earned $32,300 for owner-breeder Diamond A Racing Corporation. She has now won 5 of 14 starts and earned $200,040.