DEL MAR, Calif. -- The stakes will only get bigger for Vale Dori in the coming year, but she showed shes headed in the right direction on Saturday at Del Mar by making her final start of 2016 a significant one as she earned her first graded stakes victory since arriving on these shores in the Grade 2, $201,035 Bayakoa Handicap.Vale Dori was heavily favored at 1-2 odds and delivered as hoped by her backers, rolling to a three-length victory under jockey Mike Smith. In the coming year she will potentially be taking on the likes of champions Songbird and Stellar Wind in the older female dirt division, but shes lightly raced -- having made just 10 starts -- and still has plenty of upside, according to her trainer, Bob Baffert.Shes improving mentally and physically, Baffert said. I think theres a lot more there.Vale Dori pressed the early pace of Glozyzapper during the early going of the 1-1/16-mile race, put away that rival a quarter-mile out, pulled clear in upper stretch and was never threatened through the final furlong. Wild At Heart got up for second, three-quarters of a length in front of Moyo Honey.Show Stealer was fourth and was followed, in order, by Barbara Beatrice, Autumn Flower, Gloryzapper, and Desert Madam.Vale Dori needed 1:44.79 to cover the 1-1/16 miles on a track rated fast. It was quite windy at Del Mar on Saturday, and times were slower than expected in many instances.That was nice, said Baffert, who watched the race at home and let assistant Jim Barnes handle the on-site chores. She shipped down there this morning, handled herself, and ran her race. She should have a good year next year. Our goal is the Breeders Cup.Next years Breeders Cup is at Del Mar, where Vale Dori now has won twice in three starts.Vale Dori, 4, was bred on Southern Hemisphere time in her native Argentina. After racing three times there, she went to Dubai, and raced twice, including a fourth-place finish against males in the United Arab Emirates Derby. Since coming to the United States and moving to Bafferts barn, she has won three times in five starts, and was a distant third behind Stellar Wind and Beholder in the Grade 1 Zenyatta.Vale Dori, a daughter of Asiatic Boy, has now won 5 of her 10 starts. The $120,000 she earned on Saturday brought her career earnings to $454,943. She is owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum. Minnesota Twins Store . Its the second straight game Bell has scored in extra time for Kelowna, which beat the Brandon Wheat Kings 6-5 on Friday, and he now has four game-winning goals on the season. 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Unlike his famous 2006 Mount Panorama win with Craig Lowndes, Holdens Jamie Whincup reckons the omens arent looking good ahead of this weekends Bathurst 1000.Never usually a superstitious man, Whincup still admits the stars seemed to align 10 years ago when he helped Peter Brocks protege and co-driver Lowndes soar to a Great Race victory.A tearful Lowndes accepted the inaugural winning Peter Brock Trophy at the Bathurst podium back in 2006.And the portents appeared encouraging for Whincup to claim the trophy for himself with Bathurst triumph No.5 with now co-driver Paul Dumbrell after they dominated qualifying on Thursday.He left his best until last, clocking a scorching lap of two minutes, 05.29 seconds ahead of Fords Fabian Coulthard and 2014 champion Chaz Mostert in the third and final practice session on Thursday.Yet Whincup reckoned he wasnt counting his blessings after casting a concerning eye to the recent upset-riddled footy finals.The Bulldogs win the AFL, Cronulla break their NRL drought - it seems to be the year of the underdogs in Australian sport, said Whincup, who sits second in the 2016 drivers standings behind Holden teammate Shane van Gisbergen.We will try and turn the tide as far as the footy goes.ddddddddddddWe feel we deserve a Bathurst win but who knows what Sunday will bring.Record six-time touring car champion Whincup may have tasted plenty of Great Race success but he has not savoured victory since 2012 after being left to rue his last two Bathurst campaigns.Whincup last year sensationally ignored team orders to pit at Bathurst and then passed a safety car, relegating him from second to the back of the field with 20 laps left to eventually finish 18th.And in 2014 the Holden gun also defied a team directive before running out of fuel on the 161st and final lap while leading the Great Race.Whincup may be out for Bathurst redemption.And Brocks name may be more associated with Whincups former teammate Lowndes.But Whincup believed it would be fitting to honour Peter Perfect with a Sunday victory in the 161-lap Great Race.I didnt know him but clearly I respect him, Whincup said of Brock who sadly passed away in the 2006 Targa West rally in Western Australia.Two more practice sessions remain before qualifying for the Great Race starts at 1450 AEST on Friday. 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