No BC Turf for Acclamation

It’s official. There will be no Breeders’ Cup for Acclamation this year. Trainer Don Warren confirmed speculation that the 2011 Eclipse Award winner as outstanding older male would not make the World Championship events at Santa Anita on Nov. 2 and 3.

“It flared up a little bit again,” Warren said Sunday morning, referring to a sprain in the horse’s left leg. “It heated up on me, the sprain that he had a month ago. He worked good on the training track four or five days ago, but it heated up the next day, so we’re going to give up on the Breeders’ Cup.” The 6-year-old California-bred son of Unusual Heat had been ticketed for the $3 million Turf at 1 ½ miles.

Warren said Acclamation “probably” would remain at Santa Anita. “Everything had to go perfect to make the race. We’re done for the rest of the year. We’ve got to get him fixed right. We’ve got to give him more time.”

Meanwhile, time and hope were diminishing for Caracortado to make the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. The late-running California-bred gelding hasn’t raced since the Daytona Stakes at Santa Anita last Jan. 8 due to a burn on the frog (an integral component of the hoof) of his right front foot.

“I don’t know if he’ll make the race,” trainer Mike Machowsky said by phone from Hollywood Park. “I haven’t ruled it out yet. It’s still up in the air. I’d say it’s 50-50; we’ll keep our fingers crossed.”

Caracortado breezed several times at Del Mar, but there have been no recorded works since at Hollywood or Santa Anita. Caracortado won his first five starts, including the Grade II Robert B. Lewis stakes as a 3-year-old. He has nine wins, with earnings of $864,105.