It’s official. There will be no Breeders’ Cup for Acclamation this
year. Trainer Don Warren confirmed speculation that the 2011 Eclipse
Award winner as outstanding older male would not make the World
Championship events at Santa Anita on Nov. 2 and 3.
“It flared up a little bit again,” Warren said Sunday morning,
referring to a sprain in the horse’s left leg. “It heated up on me, the
sprain that he had a month ago. He worked good on the training track
four or five days ago, but it heated up the next day, so we’re going to
give up on the Breeders’ Cup.”
The 6-year-old California-bred son of Unusual Heat had been ticketed for
the $3 million Turf at 1 ½ miles.
Warren said Acclamation “probably” would remain at Santa Anita.
“Everything had to go perfect to make the race. We’re done for the rest
of the year. We’ve got to get him fixed right. We’ve got to give him
more time.”
Meanwhile, time and hope were diminishing for Caracortado to
make the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. The late-running California-bred
gelding hasn’t raced since the Daytona Stakes at Santa Anita last Jan. 8
due to a burn on the frog (an integral component of the hoof) of his
right front foot.
“I don’t know if he’ll make the race,” trainer Mike Machowsky
said by phone from Hollywood Park. “I haven’t ruled it out yet. It’s
still up in the air. I’d say it’s 50-50; we’ll keep our fingers
crossed.”
Caracortado breezed several times at Del Mar, but there have
been no recorded works since at Hollywood or Santa Anita. Caracortado
won his first five starts, including the Grade II Robert B. Lewis stakes
as a 3-year-old. He has nine wins, with earnings of $864,105.