Acclimate Punches Breeders' Cup Ticket in Del Mar 'Cap
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Acclimate rebounds in the Del Mar Handicap at Del Mar
California-bred Acclimate punched his ticket to the Breeders' Cup when the 5-year-old son of Acclamation won the Del Mar Handicap Presented by The Japan Racing Association (G2T) Aug. 17 at Del Mar.
Masterfully rated on the lead by jockey Florent Geroux, the Phil D'Amato trainee went to the front shortly after the start and held on to win the 1 3/8-mile event by a length over Oscar Dominguez. He rebounded from an 11th in the July 26 California Dreamin' Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on the Del Mar lawn, where he chased the pace but weakened at the end.
"Once he gets up there, he can run all day," D'Amato said. "There was no perfect prep for this race, but if I didn't get that (California Dreamin' run) in him, no matter how ugly it looked on paper, I don't think I would have gotten this result.
"Florent did a masterful job, took him to the lead and slowed it down a little, and had horse left to finish at the end."
Acclimate set a comfortable pace in the marathon event, clicking through fractions of :24.12, :47.70, 1:11.97, 1:36.15, and 2:00.28 en route to a final time of 2:12.71 on turf rated firm.
"It worked out very well," Geroux said. "The horse was sharp, he went to the front easily, and he ran relaxed all the way."
Ritzy A. P. finished third, a length behind the second-place runner and a neck in front of Blended Citizen. The Great Day, favored at 9-5, was fifth.
Owned by The Ellwood Johnston Trust (the racing title of the Johnston family's Old English Rancho) and Timmy Time Racing, Acclimate was sent off at odds of 7-1. He earned an automatic berth to the Nov. 2 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) at Santa Anita Park.
"He had been breezing up a storm, so I knew he was in good form, but you're up against a lot of nice horses," D'Amato said. "It's great that he proved the best today. I think I'll probably prep him at Santa Anita in the (Sept. 28) John Henry stakes (G2T), and then on to the Breeders' Cup."
Acclimate, winner of the June 23 San Juan Capistrano Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita, was bred by Old English Rancho, Sal Berumen, and Patsy Berumen out of the Boundary mare Knows No Bounds. With earnings of $325,872 and a 6-1-2 record from 16 starts, he is by far the mare's most accomplished runner from five of nine foals to race. Knows No Bounds dropped a Heatseeker filly in 2017 named Knowalot and foaled a daughter of Misremembered in 2018.