The Acorn Stakes: Smooth Ascent
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Eclipse Sportswire
In the 81st running of the Acorn Stakes Turbulent Descent will be an overwhelming favorite to continue her dominance over sophomore fillies around one turn. A short but solid field of six fillies is entered to contest the prestigious Grade 1 $300,000 event. Her Smile will break from post number one for trainer Todd Pletcher and is owned by celebrity chef Bobby Flay. She enters off an 11th place finish in the Kentucky Oaks (gr.1) on May 6th, finishing ahead of only two fillies. Before the Oaks she finished 2 ¼ lengths behind Hot Summer in the one mile Comely Stakes (gr.3) at Aqueduct. Her most recent work, a :49.07 half mile breeze, was solid enough but nothing spectacular. She does appear to be better at the mile distance than when she is stretched out so expect her to improve off the Oaks fiasco and be sitting right behind the pacesetters into the first turn.
Turbulent Descent in many ways exemplifies the perfect mix of talent, heart and pedigree. Undefeated in three starts last year, including the Moccasin Stakes and Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet, Turbulent Descent was given just two months off before making her sophomore debut in the Las Virgenes Stakes (gr.1), finishing 1 ¼ lengths behind the victorious Zazu with future Kentucky Oaks winner Plum Pretty another 4 ¼ lengths back in third. Stretched out to the 1 1/16 miles distance for the first time in the Santa Anita Oaks (gr.1), Turbulent Descent proved game in holding off a fast closing Zazu to win by a neck. Trainer Mike Puype announced she would stick to one turn races for the rest of the year, skipping the Kentucky Oaks, after her hard fought victory. Next up she captured the Grade 2 Beaumont Stakes by an effortless 5 lengths in her final Acorn prep. Five works have been published for the Congrats filly since taking the Beaumont including two bullet works at five and six furlongs with her most recent move a strong :47.60 half mile breeze. She looks as unbeatable as they come right now and will break from post number two.
[Turbulent Descent ranks #2, below only R Heat Lightning, on HRN's 3-year-old Fillies Ranking Page]
[Turbulent Descent ranks #2, below only R Heat Lightning, on HRN's 3-year-old Fillies Ranking Page]
Savvy Supreme breaks from post number three and is taking a huge step up in class in the Acorn. With only three lifetime starts, two wins and a second to her career record she’s going to be up against all the class in the field and has a lot to prove. She broke her maiden on April 2nd at Gulfstream Park by 5 ¼ lengths and then captured the Classy Mirage Stakes over a short field by half a length at Belmont Park. There will be a lot for her to prove in the Acorn and I seriously doubt now is the time when she will step up.
It’s Tricky created quite a stir in racing circles when she easily won the Busher Stakes at Aqueduct on February 20th by eight lengths to remain undefeated in three starts. In her last start her perfect three-race career crumbled like a house of cards when R Heat Lighting pulverized the Gulfstream Oaks (gr.2) field by more than eight lengths with It’s Tricky finishing more than twenty lengths behind in fourth. Now she returns for her first race since the Gulfstream Oaks and is looking for vindication. She probably shouldn’t be showing up in the Acorn looking for it. Her last work was a three furlong move that went in :36.21 after posting a slow :50.05 half mile move on May 29th. She’s a good filly but not top of the tier quality in my opinion, she appears to be too slow in her races. The Mineshaft filly will break from post number four.
Eight Belles (gr.3) winner Victoria’s Wildcat is riding a three race win streak into the Acorn Stakes and looks like exactly the type of filly that could upset the Acorn if any can, but that probably won’t happen. She defeated a decent field in the Eight Belles that included Honey Chile, Home Sweet Aspen and graded stakes winner Pomeroy’s Pistol but has yet to face anything close to the caliber of Turbulent Descent. She has clocked three 4 furlong works since winning the Eight Belles, the latest was a strong move she completed in :47.97 to rank as the 4th fastest of 72 horses working the distance. This will be the Bellamy Road filly’s first start at Belmont and she will break from post position five.
Snow Fall took three tries to break her maiden but won by more than five lengths when she finally broke through on February 25th. In just four career starts the War Front filly has finished third, second and won twice. Her last start came in the form of a 3 ¾ length romp in the Pine Creek Stakes over a field of just three other fillies on May 21st. She clocked an excellent final time of 1:36.22 for the mile in the Pine Creek but has turned in one semi-slow work since then, a :49.00 flat half mile on Monday at Deleware Park.
Turbulent Descent is one very tough nut and a deserving favorite; she should win the Acorn easily. The real race will be for second and third money and I like Victoria’s Wildcat and Her Smile to round out the top three. The Acorn Stakes will be run as the 6th race on the Belmont Stakes undercard and has a estimated post time of 2:34 P.M. eastern time.
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