Acclamation scratched out of the Inglewood Handicap at Hollywood Park
The champion older male of 2011, Acclamation’s return to the races was highly anticipated, especially after a brilliant winning streak he turned in last year, has had his eyes set on the Grade 3, $100,000 Inglewood Handicap on 27 April, 2012, at Betfair
Hollywood Park, but the 6-year-old horse was scratched from the race on the day of the race.
Owned by Mary Hilvers and Peter Hilvers in partnership with E. W. Johnston and Judy Johnston, Acclamation, a day before the race on 26 April, was sent out to gallop before the race, but the way he placed a few steps created doubts in trainer Donald Warren’s
mind.
“We think he’s OK, but he took a couple of bad steps after he galloped yesterday morning,’’ said Warren April 27. “He looked fine this morning. We took x-rays and everything was nice and clean and cold.
“We didn’t take him out to gallop (Friday morning). We’re not sure what was going on, but I saw what I saw and we can’t take any chances. He’ll go back to the track tomorrow and we’ll see if he’s OK.”
In 2010, Acclamation finished 4th in the Grade 3 Inglewood Handicap, but brilliantly bounced back to win the Grade 2 Jim Murray Handicap at about 1 ½ miles on the Hollywood turf course, and the Grade 1 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap also
at Hollywood Park’s turf course at about 1 ¼ miles.
The son of Unusual Heat, out of Silveyville mare Winning In Style, Acclamation started his 2011 winning streak with a win in these two races again, so he became the two time winning of the Jim Murray Handicap and Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap.
Bred in California by Old English Rancho, Acclamation’s last race was on 2 October, 2011, at Santa Anita Park’s unique hillside turf course, where he won the Grade 2 Hirsch Turf Championship at about 1 ¼ miles.
After that win his connections found some heat in his foot and kept him out of racing for a good six months, but it seems the fan of Acclamation will have to wait a little longer to see his first start of the new campaign.
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