Alms Headlines Appalachian at Keeneland
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Alms wins the Jimmy Durante Stakes at Del Mar
Godolphin homebred Alms seeks a return to her winning form in the $150,000 Appalachian Stakes Presented by Japan Racing Association (G2T) July 11 at Keeneland. The 3-year-old daughter of City Zip who was perfect in four starts before her most recent outing will face five other sophomore fillies in the one-mile turf test.
Alms was fifth in the May 23 Tepin Stakes at Churchill Downs, beaten 2 1/4 lengths by winner Sharing. After winning on debut at Belmont Park in September, the Michael Stidham trainee swept to victories in the Oct. 5 Matron Stakes (G3T), Nov. 30 Jimmy Durante Stakes (G3T), and Feb. 8 Shantel Lanerie Memorial Overnight Stakes, the latter two at or about a mile.
She tuned up for the Appalachian with a bullet five-furlong breeze in 1:00 on Fair Hill Training Center's synthetic July 3. Joel Rosario, aboard for Alms' maiden win, returns to ride. The pair will break from post 4.
Merriebelle Stable's Walk In Marrakesh will attempt to break through in graded company but does have a trio of graded/group placings. The Irish-bred Siyouni filly won a stakes race in England at 2 and has nearly won at the graded level twice in North America. In her first start on this side of the Atlantic, she was second, beaten a nose, in the Sept. 15 Natalma Stakes (G1T). In her first start this year with Ignacio Correas as trainer, she was second, beaten a head, in the March 7 Florida Oaks (G3T).
She breezed a bullet half-mile on Keeneland's turf in :49 July 4. Jose Ortiz will ride again after finishing seventh aboard her in the Tepin, in which they were blocked inside down most of the stretch. Walk In Marrakesh drew the outside post.
The Appalachian will mark the stateside debut for Manganaro Bloodstock, Blue Lion Thoroughbreds, and Peter Hadelman's Mariafoot. The French-bred daughter of Footstepsinthesand has made four starts in her home country and won a stakes race there in February, her most recent start. Cherie DeVaux now trains Mariafoot, who will depart from the rail under Luis Saez.
Allen Stable's Enola Gay is lightly raced with two starts under her belt. The Uncle Mo filly has not raced since finishing fourth in the Nov. 10 Stewart Manor Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack. She rallied to win on debut at Kentucky Downs in September. Julien Leparoux will ride for trainer Shug McGaughey from post 2.
Completing the field are Evil Lyn in post 3 and Passion Factor in post 5. Paradise Farms and David Staudacher's Evil Lyn enters off a May 25 claiming victory at Churchill Downs, where she was claimed for $40,000. The Mike Maker-trained daughter of Wicked Strong will make her stakes debut with Tyler Gaffalione up. Famousstyle Stables' Passion Factor, a Liam's Map filly trained by Rodolphe Brisset, is making the step up after breaking her maiden second time out April 9 at Gulfstream Park.
Keeneland, Saturday, July 11, 2020, Race 4Entries: Appalachian S. Presented by Japan Racing Association (G2T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Mariafoot (FR)
Luis Saez
118
Cherie DeVaux
8/1
2
2Enola Gay (KY)
Julien R. Leparoux
118
Claude R. McGaughey III
6/1
3
3Evil Lyn (KY)
Tyler Gaffalione
118
Michael J. Maker
6/1
4
4Alms (KY)
Joel Rosario
118
Michael Stidham
6/5
5
5Passion Factor (KY)
Flavien Prat
118
Rodolphe Brisset
12/1
6
6Walk In Marrakesh (IRE)
Jose L. Ortiz
118
Ignacio Correas, IV
9/5
