Acclamation to save a year due to foot problems and might target the 2012 Breeders’ Cup
It is unfortunate for the California bred 5-year-old Acclamation to bow out of a splendid season with a foot injury. The son of Unusual Heat was resting comfortably in his stall on 13 October after heat was discovered in his right foreleg.
Donald Warren trained Acclamation was coming off his fifth straight graded stakes win in the Grade 2 Hirsch Turf Championship at Santa Anita Park on 2 October, 2011.
Acclamation took care of his closest rival Champ Pegasus who was gaining on him in the final yards, breathing down his neck but Acclamation turned in a spirited performance and took the title convincingly, as he completed the classic distance of 1 ¼ miles in 1 minute and 59.45 seconds on turf.
Out of Winning In Style by Silveyville, Acclamation was on a hot streak and turned his dismal start to the season upside down, by winning all of his next 5 races on the trot.
Starting off with a 5th and a 10th place finish, Acclamation decided enough is enough, and despite heavy competition, he cleared off rivals to land the Grade 2 Jim Murray Handicap over at 1 ½ miles on 14 May, 2011, at Hollywood Park.
Donald Warren decided to give Acclamation one more start at Hollywood Park on grass and to earn another Grade 1 status, he made Acclamation represent him in the Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap.
Acclamation did not disappoint his conditioner as he completed his favoured distance of 1 ¼ mile in 2 minute and 0.18 seconds.
Right now, due to his foot problems, Acclamation will miss the Breeders’ Cup probably, but Warren was of the view that if it cools down and the conditions gets a little better than, Acclamation could get over it and soon run again.
However, Acclamation deserves a break and this way they can save him up for the next year, and there is a possibility that if things work out as planned, his connections can set him up for the 2012 Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita.
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