Smith's plan for Vale Dori: Hit the road in search of big money

ARCADIA, Calif. – Mike Smith has a concise idea of how to campaign the multiple stakes winner Vale Dori this year: Hit the road for big money races.

Pardon Smith if he has a vested interest in where and when Vale Dori races. He is the regular rider of Songbird, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2015 who is widely expected to gain the 3-year-old filly title for 2016 at the Eclipse Award ceremony in Florida on Saturday. Songbird is nearing a return to training for a 2017 campaign, and Smith would prefer to keep the mount on both her and Vale Dori as long as possible.

Smith rode Vale Dori on Saturday to an easy win in the $200,000 La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita, her second consecutive stakes win and third consecutive victory.

“There are so many good races for fillies and mares around the country,” Smith said with a smile after the La Canada.

“I’m hoping they can keep them separated. I’d love it if things would work out that way.”

For the rest of the winter, there may not be a conflict. Vale Dori is a candidate for the $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes at 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares Feb. 11, trainer Bob Baffert said Sunday. The Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes is a prep for the $400,000 Santa Margarita Invitational at 1 1/8 miles March 18.

Songbird is scheduled to rejoin trainer Jerry Hollendorfer’s stable later this month. A comeback race has not been announced. Songbird was second by a nose to Beholder in a memorable running of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 4, her first loss in her 12th career start.

Vale Dori races for Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa al Maktoum of Dubai, and has won 6 of 11 starts and has earned $574,943. A 5-year-old Argentine-bred by Asiatic Boy, Vale Dori has raced on three continents.

Vale Dori was a Group 1 winner in Argentina in 2015 and started twice in Dubai last year, including a second in the $250,000 United Arab Emirates Oaks at Meydan Racecourse. She joined Baffert’s stable last spring.

Vale Dori won 3 of 5 starts for Baffert in 2016, highlighted by the win in the Bayakoa Handicap. She was third in the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes behind the champions Stellar Wind and Beholder in October, beaten 12 lengths.

Smith rode Vale Dori in workouts when she first arrived in California. He said the filly has changed in recent months.

“She’s gotten so good at everything,” Smith said. “She’s come around and relaxed.”

Still, Vale Dori must improve to be competitive against runners such as Songbird and Stellar Wind in 2017.

“She’ll have to step it up,” Smith said.

Smith’s book of fillies and mares includes Finest City, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint here Nov. 5. Finest City is set for her 2017 debut in Saturday’s $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes at seven furlongs after working five furlongs on the infield training track in 1:00.20 on Sunday.

Trainer Ian Kruljac said the workout was vital to keep Finest City on schedule for the Grade 2 Santa Monica. He timed Finest City in 59.80 seconds.

“She wants to do more,” he said. “She’s feeling really good. She was ready to go.”

The Santa Monica Sakes will have a small field. Hollendorfer said Sunday that he will skip the race with Constellation, the winner of the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs on Dec. 26.

Hollendorfer said Constellation is scheduled to work at Los Alamitos on Monday. He did not state a race goal for Constellation’s next start.
Sunday was a busy morning for workouts at Santa Anita as stables recover from several days of missed training caused by wet conditions in the preceding week. There were 288 recorded workouts Sunday.

Fantastic Style, who is nominated for the Santa Monica, worked a half-mile in 47.20 seconds. Owned by Kaleem Shah, Fantastic Style was transferred from Baffert to Doug O’Neill earlier this month after Shah and Baffert parted ways.

Fantastic Style was fifth at 1-2 in the minor Kalookan Queen Stakes on Dec. 30 behind Bad Ju Ju, another expected runner in the Santa Monica.
Unique Bella, the winner of the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes for 3-year-old fillies Jan. 8, worked a half-mile in 46.80 seconds. She is expected to start in the $200,000 Las Virgenes Stakes at a mile Feb. 5.

Hoppertunity, the winner of the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park in October, worked five furlongs in 1:00. Baffert said Hoppertunity is a candidate for the $300,000 San Antonio Stakes at 1 1/18 miles Feb. 4.

Cat Burglar, who won the minor Santana Mile here last April, worked a half-mile in 48.80 seconds. Trained by Baffert, Cat Burglar has not raced since finishing fourth in the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs last May.

Mor Spirit, who was fourth in the Malibu Stakes on Dec. 26, worked five furlongs in 1:00. Mor Spirit was 10th in the Kentucky Derby last May.