Acclamation all set to make his seasonal debut in the Whittingham
The 2011 champion older male, Acclamation’s 2012 debut is finally here, and after he turned in his work leading to his potential start in the Grade 1, $250,000 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap, trainer Don Warren said that the 6-year-old horse came out of the work “fine.”
The Grade 1 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap is run at Betfair Hollywood Park on 9 June, 2012, over a distance of 1 ¼ miles on grass, as the race has already reeled in six other opponents for Acclamation.
The son of Unusual Heat has his training interrupted twice, and that little layoff took six months for Acclamation to make his 2012 seasonal debut. Acclamation took some awkward steps in training, which halted his progress toward a start, but after some tests, there was nothing wrong with him.
After being cleared, Acclamation resumed his training and over at Hollywood Park’s cushion track turned in a mile in 1 minute and 38 2/5 seconds on 25 May, 2012.
Patrick Valenzuela was aboard the horse, and a week later the dup emerged on the track again to turn in another mile long work in 1 minute and 41 1/5 seconds.
Jockey Pat Valenzuela has ridden Acclamation twice, and has helped his win the last two races of the 2011 season, the Grade 1 Pacific Classic and the Grade 2 Hirsch Turf Championship.
The rider had some weight issues, that is why he missed some time with Acclamation in training, but now he is in great shape and ready for the Whittingham.
“That last work was a little slower than I wanted,” said Warren. The rider on (workmate) Norvsky screwed it up by going too slow.” The trainer added, however, that the pair finished strongly. “I’m leaning toward running Norvsky in the Whittingham, as well. Right now, it looks like we’ll ship the day of the race.”
According to Don Warren, Acclamation has been recently working fine.
“He jogged great the last couple of mornings,” said Warren, who was hospitalized because of a sceptic infection, and returned to the barn after alomost a week. “It looks like he’s out of the woods.”
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