Vale Dori has to work hard to prevail in Adoration
ARCADIA, Calif .- Vale Dori extended her winning streak to six races in Sunday’s Grade 3 Adoration Stakes at Santa Anita, but was tested in the final furlong more than in recent races to preserve her perfect record since late October.
Vale Dori won the $100,000 Adoration Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles by a half-length over a pesky Skye Diamonds, the winner of the Dream of Summer Stakes for California-breds on March 26.
Ridden by Rafael Bejarano for trainer Bob Baffert, Vale Dori ($2.60) was timed in 1:42.35.
“Her class got her through today,” Baffert said.
The Adoration was Vale Dori’s first start since a win in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Stakes on March 26, the most prestigious victory of her career on three continents.
The Adoration was run on a wet-fast track after overnight rain.
Vale Dori stalked pacesetter Sensitively through early fractions of 23.65 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.25 for a half-mile before taking the lead in early stretch. Vale Dori led by two lengths with a furlong remaining before Skye Diamonds launched a threat.
“We found out she can back off,” Baffert said. “She needed it. I was light with her [lately]. I’d rather run her than work her.”
Skye Diamonds, claimed for $40,000 at Del Mar last August, was 9 3/4 lengths clear of third-place finisher Sensitively. Lady Tapit and Autumn Flower completed the order of finish. Bellamentary and Faithfully were scratched early Sunday.
Skye Diamonds made her graded stakes debut in the Adoration.
“It was a great try,” trainer Bill Spawr said. “She was getting to her.”
The Adoration was Vale Dori’s final start before a much-anticipated showdown with the champions Songbird and Stellar Wind in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile on June 3. The Beholder Mile was known as the Vanity Mile in recent years, but has been renamed in honor of the retired four-time champion.
Songbird, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2015 and champion 3-year-old filly of 2016, has not started since finishing second to Beholder in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff last November. Stellar Wind, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2015, won the Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park last month in her first start since a fourth in the BC Distaff.
Vale Dori was third to Stellar Wind and Beholder in the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes last October.
Vale Dori has won 9 of 14 starts and earned $994,943 for owner Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum. A 5-year-old Argentine-bred mare by Asiatic Boy, Vale Dori began her career in Argentina and raced in Dubai before joining Baffert’s stable at this time last year.