A repeat win by Acclamation in Jim Murray

All Saint, taking a big class hike off a four-race winning streak at Turf

Paradise, took a leaf from Acclamation's playbook and set out to make every yard

of the running. As the front runner enjoyed a daylight lead through fractions of

:24 3/5, :48 3/5, 1:13 and 1:37 3/5, Acclamation was well placed in second.

Falcon Rock (Ire) (Hawk Wing) and Buenos Dias (Ire) (Peintre Celebre) were

another couple of lengths adrift, while Haimish Hy (Ecton Park) was unhurried in

the rear of the five-horse field.

Nearing the final turn, All Saint began to come back to the field, and

Acclamation was the first on the premises. The fans' choice easily wrested

control on the far turn, reached the 1 1/4-mile mark in 2:02 1/5, and widened

his advantage down the stretch.

Falcon Rock held off Haimish Hy by a half-length for the runner-up spot.

Another 4 1/2 lengths back came Buenos Dias, and All Saint faded to last. The

mare Restless Soul (GB) (Singspiel [Ire]) was scratched.

"It was a perfect plan today," Warren said of Acclamation's trip. "We always

knew the horse could sit second, as long as he's not shuffled around and bumped

around. He doesn't like to be bothered too much and doesn't like to be hit with

the stick. Finally we got a race that set up for him, and it was done right.

He's easily ratable and he's such a natural mile and one-half horse."

"He was nice and relaxed all the way, just galloping," said Rosario, who was

reuniting with Acclamation for the first time in a long while. "When I asked him

to go, he just took off. He was much the best today. I knew that other horse

(All Saint) always goes to the lead, but if he didn't, I was prepared to go. I

could see (All Saint) was a little rank, so I knew I could take more time before

I asked my horse. I was on him a couple of times in the morning a long time ago

and I knew he was a good horse."

Campaigned by Peter and Mary Hilvers and E.W. and Judy Johnston, Acclamation

has compiled a record of 24-5-2-6, $608,048. 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 he followed up next time out with a victory in the Charles

Whittingham Memorial H. (G1). Since then, though, he had failed to hit the board

in four subsequent starts. The bay 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 S. (G1). Freshened for seven months, Acclamation returned

with a creditable fifth in the March 5 Frank E. Kilroe Mile H. (G1), beaten only

three lengths. The five-year-old 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.

Bred by 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.