Vale Dori Wins Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California played host to the $400,000 G1 Santa Margarita Stakes on Saturday, March 18 - a 1 1/8 mile dirt test for fillies and mares four years old and upward. Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum's 5-year-old 6-5 race favorite Vale Dori kept an impressive roll going and emerged victorious - by 1 1/2 lengths over champion female sprinter and 8-5 second betting choice Finest City who battled hard but had to settle for second. 59-1 longshot Autumn Flower finished another 9 1/2 lengths back in third with Lady Tapit claiming fourth in the field of eight. Estrechada, Wild At Heart, Perfect Pic, and 5-1 third choice Show Stealer completed the order of finish.