Mei Ling Could Speed Off in Allaire DuPont

It is a wide-open cast of 10 fillies and mares that will do battle in the $150,000 Allaire DuPont Distaff Stakes (gr. III) at Pimlico Race Course May 20. The nine-furlong contest does showcase a few runners that have decent recent form, but lacks a clear standout.

Mei Ling finished a game second after making the early running in the Top Flight Invitational Handicap (gr. III) at Aqueduct April 10. She was nailed by Carrumba, who returned to run second in the Ruffian Handicap (gr. II) May 14. Two back Mei Ling went wire-to-wire to take the Heavenly Prize. She has finished in the money in five straight starts and there isn’t a lot of speed signed up against her here.

Savings Account took the March 18 Esplanade Stakes over muddy going at Fair Grounds and is a consistent sort, in the money in eight of her last nine starts. The stalker/midpack runner has faced the likes of Beholder and Cassatt in the past year and will be dangerous here.

Ahh Chocolate checked in third behind Savings Account at Fair Grounds and rolled another third in the Doubledogdare Stakes (gr. III) at Keeneland. She won the Falls City Handicap (gr. II) last fall and certainly fits in the top flight here.

America, one of the last progeny of the great A.P. Indy to be running in stakes company, was a distant third in the Top Flight in her first start of the season. She won the Turnback the Alarm Handicap (gr. III) last fall, but Mei Ling has soundly defeated her in her last two starts.

Super Majesty was good enough to take the Dogwood Stakes (gr. III) last September, but has run out of gas in her two subsequent starts in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I) and the Madison (gr. I). She tries two turns for just the second time in her career.

Tiger Ride is another looking to regain last year’s form. She won the Valley View (gr. III) last fall and ran Stonetastic to a good second in the Inside Information (gr. II) in March, but lost interest in the Jenny Wiley (gr. I) and finished nine lengths off Tepin. She has the back class to assert herself here.

Late-running Theogony would seem to need more pace than she’ll likely get in the DuPont. She failed to fire last out in the Apple Blossom (gr. I) but closed well in the Azeri (gr. II) two back to finish fourth, one length off the winner. Engaginglee finished a distant second to Curalina in the La Troienne (gr. I) on Kentucky Oaks Day and checked in immediately behind Tiger Ride in the Inside Information. She will also do better with a hotter pace up front.

Camille Claudel does her best running in the slop, as she freaked by 19 lengths when breaking her maiden in 2013 and most recently won an allowance optional claimer by 7 1/2 lengths in the Tampa Bay Downs slop. Her stakes tries have left something to be desired. Joint Return has been defeated by many of the runners she faces here but did finish ahead of Mei Ling earlier this season.