The dark side of the force was on the winning side of a photo in Thursday's fifth race for 2-year-old maidens at a mile.

Dark Vader ($22.20) closed steadily through the final furlong to edge 7-2 Destiny Awaits by a nose and win his fourth career start. Draft Pick finished third, beaten a half-length.

Dark Vader and Draft Pick are trained by Peter Eurton. The disappointment in the field was Regulate, the 4-5 favorite who finished sixth of seven in his first start, never threatening the leaders.

Dark Vader is owned by the partnership of Sharon Alesia, Burns Racing and Joe Ciaglia and was ridden by Stewart Elliott. Prior to Thursday, Dark Vader was second in a maiden race here in September, fifth in the $150,000 Juvenile Stakes for Ohio-breds at Belterra Park in October and seventh in a maiden race on turf at Del Mar on Nov. 1.

The colt's win comes on the same week as the opening of the latest Star Wars movie.