Acclamation returns to Del Mar to claim the Grade 1 Eddie Read Stakes – Looking to improve his 6th place finish in the last season
The five-year-old horse Acclamation who is trained by Donald Warren for owners, Mary Hilvers, Peter Hilvers, E. W. Johnston and Judy Johnston, returns to Del Mar on the opening day to participate in the $300,000, Grade 1 Eddie Read Stakes on 23 July.
The Californian-bred son of Unusual Heat is returning to Del Mar for a second go in the Eddie Read Stakes.
Acclamation tried his luck in the Eddie Read Stakes in 2010 among other 3-year-old and above males, but wasn’t up to the mark as he failed to finish on the cards under jockey Christian Santiago-Reyes.
Acclamation ahead of the Eddie Read Stakes looks in great form, landing grade 1 and 2 level races in his last two starts.
The five-year-old is coming off a grade 1 win at the Hollywood Park in the Grade 1 Whittingham Memorial on 11 June.
Under Joseph Talamo, Acclamation covered the distance of 1 1/4 miles in a good 2 minutes and 0.18 seconds, defeating Celtic New Year and Bourbon Bay on his way to victory.
Acclamation also won the 2010 edition of the 1 ¼ mile event.
Prior to the Whittingham Memorial, Acclamation repeated a winning performance in a race that he had also won in the 2010 season, the Grade 2 Jim Murray Stakes, also run at the Hollywood Park on 14 May.
This time around with a different rouse, Joel Rosario, Acclamation again defeated Falcon Rock, the same foe in the 2010 edition of Jim Murray.
Trainer Donald Warren revealed that he was in favour of running the horse in the Grade 3 Sunset Handicap which was run at Inglewood race track on 17 July.
The main factor to go against that decision was the higher purse Eddie Read Stakes has to offer and on top of that higher grading increase the horse’s value.
There is no question that Acclamation is more suited on a 12 furlong race because he can be held off the pace, soak in the pressure, competition and the dole out the pace which he is better at.
The 1 1/8 mile event will include Celtic Princess, the Brazilian-bred mare, and also Smart Bid.
The competition is going to be stiff no doubt about it and the pressure will be right on Acclamation and his connections, as the five-year-old have never won in the Eddie Read Stakes.
Last time he was running the race, he fell way behind the leader, The Usual Q.T, by five lengths.
Acclamation has run a total of 25 races in his career, winning six, finishing second twice and six time he finished third, with a life time earnings of $758,048.
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