Acoma scores in Azeri

Acoma flew home in the Azeri (Jeff Coady/Coady Photography)

Helen C. Alexander and Helen K. Groves' homebred ACOMA (Empire Maker) posted

an easy five-length victory in Sunday's $144,000

Azeri S.

(G3) at Oaklawn Park after having only one rival beaten through the opening

half-mile. With Julien Leparoux aboard, the David Carroll-trained four-year-old

easily overtook Bear Now (Tiznow) in the stretch and pulled off to finish 1 1/16

miles on the fast dirt in 1:42 2/5.

Acoma broke alertly, but Devil House (Chester House) assumed an early 1

1/2-length lead through an opening quarter in :22 3/5. As Acoma settled at the back

of the pack, Devil House set fractions of :45 4/5, 1:10 1/5 and 1:36 while

closely tracked by Bear Now to her outside. Bear Now took over for a brief

moment in the stretch, but couldn't keep up with the closing Acoma.

Moving up and splitting rivals nearing the turn, Acoma began picking off her

fellow runners until she finally reached Bear Now. Swinging to the outside, she

continued her momentum all the way to the wire, easily proving best.

Acoma easily captured the Azeri (Will Kenser/Coady Photography)

Acoma racked up three graded victories in 2008, including the Dogwood S. (G3)

over Churchill Downs' main track. She really came to life when switched to the

turf, earning a half-length score in the Valley View S. (G3) on Keeneland's

green, before returning to Churchill and adding the grassy Mrs. Revere S. (G2)

to her line. Making her first appearance since the November 8 Mrs.

Revere, the

Kentucky-bred four-year-old saw her earnings swell to $480,260 to go along with a 9-6-1-1 mark.

To say Acoma descends from a strong female family would be an understatement.

Her dam, stakes winner and Grade-3 placed Aurora (Danzig), has also produced

Grade 1 winner Arch (Kris S.) and UAE Horse of the Year Festival of Light (A.P.

Indy), as well as Arch's stakes-winning full brother Alisios. Acoma's second dam

was 1983 champion two-year-old filly Althea (Alydar) and her third dam, Courtly

Dee (Never Bend), was named Kentucky Broodmare of the Year in 1983. This female

family has produced numerous stakes winners, including Grade/Group 1 conquerors

Balletto (UAE) (Timber Country), Ali Oop (Al Hattab), Ketoh (Exclusive Native),

Aldiza (Storm Cat) and Green Desert (Danzig), as well as Japanese champion filly

Yamanin Paradise (Danzig).