Course-and-distance win makes Sparkle Blue a contender in Jimmy Durante

When Sparkle Blue won a one-mile allowance race under Jose Ortiz at Del Mar on Nov. 3, the race was as much of a tour of the grass course as her second career victory.

“She did it pretty comfortably and was quite green,” trainer Graham Motion recalled on Thursday. “She was looking around when she made the lead.”

The experience of a win over the course and the presence of Ortiz back aboard places Sparkle Blue among the leading candidates in a field of 11 in Saturday’s Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes for 2-year-old fillies over the same one-mile distance on turf.

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Motion trains Sparkle Blue for owners Catherine Parke and Augustin Stable, and is well acquainted with the filly’s female family. Sparkle Blue is a half-sister to Shared Account, who won the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf for Motion at Churchill Downs in 2010.

The $100,000 Durante is Sparkle Blue’s second appearance in a stakes. She finished fourth in the Selima Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Laurel Park in early October, beaten 5 1/2 lengths by Consumer Spending after a difficult trip.

“Our filly got knocked around a little bit,” Motion said. “I thought it was unfair.”

In the Durante, Sparkle Blue will break from post 10. Motion said he thinks it’s a big advantage to have Ortiz back aboard.

Sparkle Blue has closed from off the pace in her starts, including a win in her debut in a maiden special weight race at a mile on dirt at Colonial Downs on Aug. 17.

The lone stakes winner in the Durante field is Liam’s Dove, who recorded a 34-1 surprise victory when she led throughout the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf at a mile on Sept. 5. Trained by Peter Miller, Liam’s Dove was not as successful in the Surfer Girl Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 3, disputing the pace before fading to finish 10th.

Miller has three runners in the Durante. Tezzaray and Travel Smart, his other two, each won a one-mile maiden race on turf in her last start.

Helens Well will be well-supported in the Durante. Trained by Phil D’Amato, Helens Well was second in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf and Surfer Girl, and later eighth, beaten 2 1/2 lengths, in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf at 50-1.

“We almost got the perfect trip,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “She got stopped a little bit at the quarter pole. She came out of the race in great shape.”

D’Amato also starts Virulente, a French import who won her debut in a seven-furlong maiden race at Le Lion d’Angers in August. Virulente joined D’Amato’s stable in October.

“She lacks seasoning, but hopefully her turn of foot and a clean trip can make up for it,” D’Amato said. “She’s improved steadily every week I’ve had her.”

Last weekend, Virulente worked in company with Cathkin Peak, who starts for D’Amato in Saturday’s Grade 1 Hollywood Derby.

“I thought she held her own very well,” D’Amato said. “It was a good confidence-builder.”