Fault Takes on Vale Dori in Adoration

The switch to dirt couldn't have gone better for Agave Racing Stable and Little Red Feather Racing's Fault in the March 17 Santa Margarita Stakes (G1).

A quality turf performer for much of her career, the 4-year-old Blame  filly took on a grade 1 for the first time on a different surface and dominated a field of nine other females to win by 6 1/2 lengths.

BALAN: Fault Surges to Santa Margarita Victory

Her next start in the $100,000 Adoration Stakes (G3) May 6 appeared to a bit of a breather when the nominations came out. No result is guaranteed in horse racing, but the 1 1/16-mile Adoration didn't have another graded winner nominated.

Then grade 1 winner Vale Dori was supplemented to make her 2018 debut.

But Fault's connections are unmoved by the top-level challenger, because the Adoration wasn't really part of the plan until their filly communicated through her actions that she needed a race.

"We knew (Vale Dori) was going in. It wasn't a surprise, honestly," said Billy Koch of Little Red Feather. "The truth is we were looking at the (grade 1) Ogden Phipps (June 9 at Belmont Park), but Fault told (trainer) Phil (D'Amato) she needed to run. ... It's rare when a horseman says, 'I want to run sooner.'"

The horsman's maxim of "run them when they're ready" guided the decision, so the Adoration will come first before a potential trip to New York, although the May 6 La Troienne Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs was also considered. The race at home made more sense, however, rather than shipping east twice from Southern California in just more than a month.

There were multiple quality fillies in the Santa Margarita—like second-place finisher Mended, who will challenge again in the Adoration—but Vale Dori is in another category and defeating her will require another top effort from Fault.

The Bob Baffert-trained Asiatic Boy mare, now 6, won four straight graded stakes in 2017, including the Santa Margarita and Adoration, and finished second in her final two starts of the year—the Beholder Mile (G1) and the Clement L. Hirsch (G1), both in tight photos to champion Stellar Wind.

BALAN: Vale Dori Holds Off Skye Diamonds in Adoration

"There are no stepping stones in this game, especially when you're facing a horse like Vale Dori," Koch said.

The field is completed by grade 2-placed La Force, who finished fourth in the Santa Margarita; allowance winner Dalsaros (seventh in the Santa Margarita); stakes winner Shenandoah Queen, who finished a far-back sixth last time out in the Harry Henson Handicap at Sunland Park March 25; and the seasoned Demigoddess, who will make her 50th start since her debut in June of 2016.

Entries: Adoration S. (G3)

Santa Anita Park, Sunday, May 06, 2018, Race 7

• Grade III
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $100,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 3:50 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Dalsaros (KY)	Flavien Prat	121	Carla Gaines	20/1
2	2Mended (KY)	Ricardo Gonzalez	121	John F. Martin	7/2
3	3Vale Dori (ARG)	Mike E. Smith	123	Bob Baffert	7/5
4	4Shenandoah Queen (KY)	Tyler Baze	121	John W. Sadler	20/1
5	5La Force (GER)	Drayden Van Dyke	121	Patrick Gallagher	8/1
6	6Demigoddess (KY)	Tiago Josue Pereira	121	Charles R. Stutts	50/1
7	7Fault (KY)	Geovanni Franco	125	Philip D'Amato	6/5