Elsa heads west for G3 Jimmy Durante

Two-year-old filly Elsa has travelled to Del Mar, California, USA, for her Graded debut in the G3 Jimmy Durante over a mile on turf on Saturday, 24 November. 

The Michael Stidham-trained daughter of Animal Kingdom steps up in distance after coming home seventh on yielding ground in the Selima Stakes over six furlongs at Laurel Park on 22 September. 

She ran two excellent races over five and a half furlongs on fast going, readily winning on debut at Laurel Park in July and then taking third in the Bolton Landing Stakes at Saratoga in August. 

Joe Bravo takes the ride for the second time on Elsa, who is drawn three and faces 12 other juvenile fillies including Stakes winners Lakerball and Creative Instinct, G1 Natalma Stakes fourth Pivottina and G3 Matron Stakes second Monette. 

Michael Stidham said: “Elsa has been training nicely at Fair Grounds (New Orleans, Louisiana) and shipped out to Del Mar last Saturday. 

“She took the trip well and everything has gone smoothly with her so far. 

“She had never run anything like she did in the Selima Stakes, when she broke well and then just retreated every step of the way, so we have to think that the very soft ground was not to her liking.

“We are looking forward to getting her back on firm turf and stretching her out to mile as we feel that she will enjoy the extra distance. 

“She was coming against some pretty good fillies in the Bolton Landing Stakes and passed the class test that day, so I think that she will be competitive at this level.”