Acclamation, Norvsky Work at Del Mar

Acclamation worked five furlongs on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course in 1:02.80 Thursday morning and stable mate Norvsky the same distance in 1:03.80 in preparation for upcoming major stakes assignments.

Acclamation made a successful title defense in the Eddie Read Stakes on July 21 and is being pointed toward a title defense in the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic on Sunday, August 26 over the Polytrack main course or the Del Mar Handicap on turf a day earlier.

Norvsky, who defended his title in the California Dreamin Handicap on July 22, is being considered for the Del Mar Handicap or the Del Mar Mile on the Pacific Classic undercard.

Track clockers caught Acclamation in splits of :25.40, :38.80, 51.40 and 1:02.80 for the work under exercise rider Fernando Valenzuela and categorized it as “breezing,” meaning under no extra encouragement. The last eighth in :11.40 was especially eye-catching under those circumstances.

“They went exactly what we wanted,” said Bud Johnston of Old English Rancho, breeder and owner in partnerships of both horses.

“It was Acclamation’s first work since the Eddie Read. He went 1:03 in (the corresponding) work last year, we wanted something in the 1:02-1:03 range and he hit 1:02 and four-fifths. The horses look great and we were very pleased with both of them. They did it easy and that’s just what we wanted.”

Valenzuela, a cousin of Acclamation’s regular rider Patrick Valenzuela, was Warren’s choice for the measured work because, as Warren put it: “Patrick doesn’t do slow.”