Acclamation makes it three in a row in Eddie Read

Acclamation went wire to wire (Alex Evers/EquiSport Photos) After flirting with potential engagements in the July 9 Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) and last Sunday’s Sunset H. (G3), streaking turf star ACCLAMATION (Unusual Heat) ultimately opted for Saturday’s $300,000 Eddie Read S. (G1), and the Del Mar fixture turned out to be the right spot. After settling comfortably into his usual spot on the front end, the Donald Warren charge left his rivals flat-footed on the far turn and rolled to his third straight victory.  “Good call by the owner,” Warren said, referring to E.W. “Bud” Johnston. “I kind of wanted to stay in the Sunset. He wanted to go in this and it was a good call. The horse is really good; better now than ever. He looked awfully good out there and we are very pleased.” Acclamation was coming off a pair of impressive title defenses in the June 11 Charles Whittingham Memorial H. (G1) and the May 14 Jim Murray H. (G2). Yet those came over longer distances at Hollywood Park, and judging by his tame sixth in last year’s Eddie Read, it was an open question of whether he would be as effective going 1 1/8 miles on the Del Mar turf.

The betting public accordingly sent Acclamation off as the 3-1 third choice
in the six-horse field, while siding with 3-2 favorite Caracortado (Cat Dreams).
The two were also matched in Del Mar’s first-ever “head-to-head” wager, but
Caracortado didn’t get close enough to threaten when the real running started.

Ironically, the late-running Caracortado broke sharply and found himself in
front in the opening strides. But Acclamation soon strode forward for Joel
Rosario, and with the withdrawal of likely pace rival Celtic Princess (Brz)
(Public Purse), he didn’t have to work to secure the lead.

Acclamation rattled off even splits of :24 1/5, :48 2/5 and 1:12 1/5, and
Jeranimo (Congaree) was the only rival to try to apply pressure down the
backstretch. Smart Bid (Smart Strike) tracked in third, and Caracortado eased
back into fourth.

By injecting a serious change of pace on the far turn, Acclamation broke the
race open and never looked like being caught. The bay stormed clear through one
mile in 1:35 2/5 and widened his advantage to 3 1/4 lengths at the wire,
finishing in 1:46 4/5 on the firm course. Acclamation furnished his loyalists
with payouts of $8.40, $4 and $3.

“He was very comfortable today,” Rosario said. “I could see his ears up and
going back and forth. He was just having fun out there. This was like when I
rode him in that mile and a half (Jim Murray) up at Hollywood. He ran the same
way that day. So relaxed.”

“He (Joel Rosario) gave him the perfect ride,” Warren said. “He broke a
little slow, but he made the lead easy. I like to see him cruising on an easy
lead and I always like to see a horse slip away on the last turn like he did.
Just done to perfection.”

Jeranimo held second by a half-length from Caracortado, who nosed out Smart
Bid for third. Leroy’s Dynameaux (Leroidesanimaux [Brz]) checked in another 3
1/4 lengths away in fifth, and Goldwaki (Ger) (Dalakhani) was tailed off in
last. Kid Edward (Ire) (Singspiel [Ire]) was scratched along with Celtic
Princess.

Campaigned by Peter and Mary Hilvers and E.W. and Judy Johnston, Acclamation
improved his scorecard to 26-7-2-6, $938,048. The five-year-old is in the form
of his life at present. Earlier in his career, he had run well
at the graded level without managing to win, finishing third in the 2009
Hollywood Derby (G1), Del Mar Derby (G2) and San Gabriel H. (G2), as well as the
2010 Strub S. (G2). He was also second in the 2009 Ralph M. Hinds Pomona
Invitational H.

Acclamation really blossomed once stepped up in distance for the 2010 Jim Murray
and followed up in the Whittingham, but failed to transfer his sparkling
Hollywood form on the road. Last summer, he shipped to Monmouth for the United Nations
S. (G1), where he retreated to last of nine, and checked in sixth when
shortening up for the Eddie Read. Freshened for seven months,
Acclamation returned with a creditable fifth in the March 5 Frank E. Kilroe Mile
H. (G1) at Santa Anita, beaten only three lengths. He tried
another foray, this time to the April 16 Charles Town Classic (G3), but never
landed a blow during his wide trip and trailed home 10th in the slop. He hasn’t
lost since returning to turf.

Bred by Johnston’s Old English Rancho in California, Acclamation is the last
registered foal from the unraced Winning in Style (Silveyville), who is also
responsible for the stakes-placed pair of Strut Your Stuff (Bold Badgett) and
Always in Style (Lucayan Prince). Another of Acclamation’s half-siblings, Flying
in Style (Flying Sensation), is the dam of 2007 Derby Trial S. winner, Flying
First Class (Perfect Mandate). This is the family of Grade 3 victor and multiple
Grade 1-placed Stylish Winner (Obraztsovy), and further back, multiple stakes
queen Fleet Treat (Fleet Nasrullah). Multiple Grade 1 star and $2.3
million-earner Marlin (Sword Dance [Ire]) descends from another productive
branch of this female line.

Johnston indicated after the race that Acclamation would next contest the 1
3/8-mile Del Mar H. (G2) on August 28, a “Win and You’re In” race for his
ultimate goal, the November 5 Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) at Churchill Downs.