Two defections in Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

The field for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita lost two potential starters Friday when Alms and Precious Moments were declared from consideration.

Alms, undefeated winner of the Grade 3 Matron Stakes on Oct. 5 at Belmont Park, was found to have a fever on Friday morning, according to trainer Michael Stidham. Alms has been stabled in Maryland with Stidham.

“She had a 103 temperature,” Stidham said. “She won’t travel.”

:: BREEDERS’ CUP 2019: See DRF’s special section with top contenders, odds, comments, and more

Precious Moments, winner of a maiden race at The Curragh in Ireland in her seventh start on Oct. 13, will be pointed to a race at Newmarket, England, on Nov. 1 or 2, according to a spokesman for trainer Aidan O’Brien.

The absence of those runners will allow Croughavouke, who was second in two stakes at a mile on turf at Del Mar and Santa Anita, into the field.

The $1 million BC Juvenile Fillies Turf at a mile had an oversubscribed field of 19 when pre-entries were taken earlier this week, but will have a maximum of 14 starters.

Alms was one of 14 selected to start by a panel of racing officials, with five horses placed on a reserve list eligible to run if defections occurred. Precious Moments was not selected to start and was the first alternate. Croughavouke was the second alternate.

The developments on Friday leave Princesa Caroline as the next horse eligible to join the field if another runner among the top 14 is not entered when post positions are drawn Monday. Princesa Caroline, trained by Chad Brown, won a maiden special weight race in her debut on Sept. 28 and is entered in the Chelsey Flower on Sunday at Belmont.

Croughavouke, an Irish-bred filly, races for Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal and is trained by Jeff Mullins. She was second by a length in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf to Yesterdayoncemore on Sept. 2 at Del Mar and second by three-quarters of a length to Warren’s Showtime in the Surfer Girl Stakes on Oct. 6 at Santa Anita.

Yesterdayoncemore and Warren’s Showtime were not pre-entered in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Flavien Prat is booked to ride Croughavouke in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf.