Acclimate Aims to Return to Graded Stakes Success

After an abbreviated campaign in 2020, California-bred Acclimate will try to secure the third graded stakes victory of his career when he faces an expected five other older horses in the $200,000 San Marcos Stakes (G2T) Feb. 6 at Santa Anita Park.

Campaigned by the Ellwood Johnston Trust, Timmy Time Racing, and Ken Tevelde, Acclimate returns to the same Santa Anita turf of his recent third-place finish against other state-breds in the Unusual Heat Turf Classic Stakes Presented by City National Bank Jan. 16. That effort marked just his second start since November 2019 as his lone effort in 2020 was a fourth-place finish in the Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (G2T) Nov. 27 on the Del Mar turf.

After the extended layoff, the 7-year-old son of Acclamation  will now make his third start since late November. Trainer Phil D'Amato noted that stretching out to the 1 1/4-mile distance for Saturday's race is a good fit.

"It's a rather quick comeback for Acclimate but I had this race in the back of my mind for him. It was hard to pass up 200 grand against Cal-breds (in the Unusual Heat Turf Classic), but at the same time he's coming back at a distance he prefers," D'Amato said. "I always had this race planned for him, if he came out of the Unusual Heat in good shape, and he really has, so we'll look to wheel him back going a mile and a quarter."

Acclimate is one of two horses entered in Saturday's test by D'Amato, as the trainer also has Agave Racing Stable and Rockin Robin Racing Stables' Salvator Mundi in the field. The grade 3-placed 5-year-old Artie Schiller gelding enters off a close third-place finish in an allowance level race Jan. 8 at one mile on the Santa Anita turf.

"He's just kind of learning where he needs to be placed to be most effective," D'Amato said. "I think he merits another chance at a mile-and-a-quarter for sure."

Salvator Mundi was in contention throughout last year's John Henry Turf Championship Stakes (G2T) at 1 1/4 miles on the Santa Anita turf in September, before fading in the stretch.

The San Marcos was postponed for a week after heavy rain Jan. 28-29.

The field also includes Masteroffoxhounds, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of War Front  who will make his United States stakes debut after closing out 2020 with an easy victory in an allowance level race Nov. 28 on the Del Mar turf. Campaigned by Rockingham Ranch, Masteroffoxhounds is trained by Richard Baltas.

Masteroffoxhounds made four of his six career starts in Ireland for owner Zhang Yuesheng and trainer Jessica Harrington, winning one of those races and finishing fifth in last year's Amethyst Stakes (G3T). 

Entries: San Marcos S. (G2T)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, February 06, 2021, Race 4

• Grade II
• 1 1/4m
• Downhill turf
• $200,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 1:36 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Cleopatra's Strike (ON)	Juan J. Hernandez	120	Robert B. Hess, Jr.	8/1
2	2Masteroffoxhounds (KY)	Joel Rosario	120	Richard Baltas	5/2
3	3Starting Over (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	120	Robert N. Falcone, Jr.	15/1
4	4Acclimate (CA)	Tyler Baze	120	Philip D'Amato	2/1
5	5Salvator Mundi (KY)	Flavien Prat	120	Philip D'Amato	5/2
6	6Oscar Dominguez (IRE)	UMBERTO RISPOLI	120	Richard Baltas	7/2