Alms, Princesa Caroline finally meet in Jimmy Durante Stakes

An illness prevented Alms from a start in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita. Princesa Caroline missed the same race after she was not selected when the race oversubscribed.

Nearly a month later, the two unbeaten runners have been sent to California for Saturday’s Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at a mile on turf at Del Mar.

Alms was withdrawn from consideration for the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf a week before the race. She won two six-furlong turf races at Belmont Park earlier this fall, including the Grade 3 Matron Stakes on Oct. 5 as the 3-5 favorite. The illness struck in the days before Alms was scheduled to be flown to Santa Anita, trainer Mike Stidham said.

“She got over that,” he said. “It was a little virus.”

The mile distance of the $100,000 Jimmy Durante Stakes will be new for Alms, who races for owner and breeder Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing. Alms has closed from off the pace in both of her wins.

“We don’t think two turns will hurt her,” Stidham said. “If anything, it will help her.”

Princesa Caroline won her lone start, which came in a maiden special weight race at 1 1/16 miles on turf Sept. 28 at Belmont Park, closing from fourth in a field of nine to win by 3 1/4 lengths. Javier Castellano was aboard for that race and has the mount in the Durante.

The patience Princesa Caroline displayed in her maiden win could be an asset in the Durante.

“In her debut, she ran like a horse with a lot of experience,” trainer Chad Brown said. “She seems to rate well in her works.”

Alms is the only graded stakes winner in the Durante field. Wise Rachel won the Pike Place Dancer at a mile on turf Oct. 26 at Golden Gate Fields in her debut on the surface.

The Durante will be the stakes debut for Guitty, who has overcome slow starts to win two races since arriving from France in the summer. She will break from the outside post in the field of 14.

Croughavouke and Applecross were second and third in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf at a mile here Sept. 2, the American debut for both runners. Croughavouke was later second in the Surfer Girl Stakes on Oct. 6 at Santa Anita and sixth by 4 1/2 lengths in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf.

In Ireland, Croughavouke won a maiden race on a turf course rated good at Limerick in July. The Del Mar turf course is likely to retain moisture on Saturday from rain in recent days.

Similar to Princesa Caroline, Applecross was pre-entered in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf, but did not draw into the race. In the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf, Applecross closed from ninth with a wide rally to finish 4 1/4 lengths behind upset winner Yesterdayoncemore.