Stevens picks up mount on Cordiality, and guides her to victory in Fran's Valentine

ARCADIA, Calif. - Cordiality gave jockey Gary Stevens his first win since his return to California earlier this week, taking Saturday’s $101,380 Fran’s Valentine Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares.

Stevens was not scheduled to ride Cordiality, but picked up the mount after jockey Tyler Baze was briefly hospitalized after he was unseated in a spill earlier in the afternoon. Baze was released from the hospital within two hours of the accident.

Cordiality ($11.20) had an ideal trip under Stevens. Cordiality stalked pacesetter Shy Carmelita to the end of the backstretch in the one-mile race and took the lead on the turn. Cordiality won by 1 3/4 lengths over Shy Carmelita, a 6-1 chance.

“I was able to sneak away early in the stretch and she gave me a great turn of foot,” Stevens said.

Cheekaboo, a 10-1 chance, finished third, followed by Desert Steel, Barbara Beatrice, Speakers, Halo Darlin, Moonless Sky, and How About Zero.

Cordiality ran a mile on turf in 1:35.78.

Owned by Lee Drummond, John Xitco, and trainer Mark Glatt, Cordiality was supplemented to the Golden State Series of stakes for statebreds for $25,000 earlier this week. The filly earned $60,000 for the win in the Fran’s Valentine Stakes, her stakes debut.

A 5-year-old mare by Papa Clem, Cordiality was claimed for $32,000 by her owners in the summer of 2016. She has won 8 of 21 starts and earned $316,095.

Stevens rode primarily in Arkansas and Kentucky earlier this year. Cordiality was his seventh mount of the meeting.