Among the most accomplished juvenile turf fillies last season, Alms will go postward as a likely strong favorite in her season debut Saturday in the $60,000 Shantel Lanerie Memorial at Fair Grounds.
Godolphin’s homebred daughter of City Zip went 3-for-3 last term in the span of just two months. Winner of a key 6-furlong turf maiden at Belmont on Sept. 19, Alms wheeled back 16 days later to take the Matron (G3) over the same distance by 1 1/4 lengths, and then successfully stretched out to a mile when taking the Jimmy Durante (G3) at Del Mar in late November over Laura’s Light, subsequent winner of the Blue Norther S. at Santa Anita.
“We wanted to give her a little of a freshening after that win,” trainer Mike Stidham said. “Being here at Fair Grounds with this turf course, we felt like this would be a good spot to get her three-year-old campaign kicked off.
“As long as she comes out of this race well, we’ll look to point her to the Florida Oaks (G3) at Tampa (March 7). The timing was good with this race and we’re looking forward to getting her started again. She’s trained well and I expect a good run Saturday.”
Stidham has another potentially serious candidate for the race in Trickle In, an Illinois-bred daughter of Temple City who’s won wire-to-wire in both starts, including a first-level allowance at Fair Grounds over the same about one mile distance. Also likely to attract play is Dominga, who’s won two of three on the grass for Brad Cox, and Pass the Plate, another dual winner on the turf who returns to the surface after finishing sixth in the Silverbulletday S. on the dirt.
The Shantel Lanerie will have its second running on Saturday and is named after the late wife of jockey Corey Lanerie.
