Caledonia Road Continues Progress Toward Acorn

Reigning 2-year-old champion filly Caledonia Road continues to progress in her journey back to top-level company, having emerged from a May 26 bullet work in good order in advance of the June 6 Acorn Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park.

In the $700,000 Acorn for sophomore fillies going a mile, the daughter of Quality Road  is expected to face Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Monomoy Girl and two-time grade 1 winner Moonshine Memories, among others.

Caledonia Road went five furlongs in :59.87 Saturday, her second bullet work in a row and fastest of 12 at the distance that morning on the Belmont main track. In that move—her final before the Acorn—Caledonia Road broke well behind her workmate, a 3-year-old New York-bred filly, and easily usurped her company in the stretch en route to crossing the wire by open lengths over her stablemate.

Owned by Zoom and Fish Stable, Charlie Spiring, and Newtown Anner Stud, Caledonia Road is exiting a 3 1/2-length win in a one-mile optional claiming race April 29 at Belmont, where she earned a career-high 84 Beyer Speed Figure as the 1-5 favorite. It was her first race since clinching the Eclipse Award with a 3 1/4-length victory at odds of 17-1 in the 14 Hands Winery Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) in November at Del Mar.

"She needed a good work," Nicks said of Saturday's breeze. "Obviously, it'll be her second race off the layoff and in her first race back, she wasn't what I would call 100% for her best effort that day. It was a building block to the Acorn and to the rest of the year. I would expect her to move forward off of the last race and if we're good enough, we can catch them around a one-turn mile.

"I expect a good effort from her. She's training well, looks good, appetite's good. We'll see how we stack up against the Oaks champion and a couple other ones in there. It's not going to be an easy race."

Assistant trainer Heather Smullen is overseeing the Belmont string for Nicks, who is based in Florida for much of the year. Smullen is also the regular exercise rider for Caledonia Road, who Nicks said will "open gallop" into the race.

Nicks added that Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will have the call in the Acorn. Smith, who will ride the undefeated Justify in the Belmont Stakes (G1) in his bid for the Triple Crown, was also aboard for the filly's Breeders' Cup win.