Yuvetsi wins first stakes in Santa Lucia

Yuvetsi had an ideal trip to win Friday's $80,000 Santa Lucia Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles, a race in which the multiple graded stakes winner Vale Dori could only finish third as the 4-5 favorite.

Yuvetsi ($15.40) stalked Vale Dori through early fractions of 23.42 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.32 for a half-mile before drawing alongside her high-profile rival on the turn. Ridden by Tyler Baze, Yuvetsi pulled clear to win by 2 1/2 lengths over 9-2 Bernina Star, who rallied to finish a half-length in front of Vale Dori.

Yuvetsi ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.39.

Vale Dori won five consecutive graded stakes from late 2016 through the spring of 2017, including the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Invitational in March 2017.

Yuvetsi, a 4-year-old filly by Bodemeister, has won 3 of 11 starts. She is trained by John Sadler for Pete and Kosta Hronis. Yuvetsi was purchased for $420,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She was a well-beaten third in the Grade 3 Desert Stormer Stakes at six furlongs on May 27 in her stakes debut.