By Alan Carasso
Sue Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor's Acapulco (Scat Daddy), who provided trainer Wesley Ward with a fifth Royal Ascot victory in last year's G2 Queen Mary S., returns to action in a Friday night allowance/optional claiming race over six furlongs of the Polytrack at Turfway Park in Northern Kentucky, with a return trip to the Royal meeting the mid-range goal.
A $180,000 Fasig-Tipton July acquisition by Scott and Evan Dilworth, the scopey Acapulco first made headlines at the 2015 OBS March Sale, where she was hammered down to M.V. Magnier for $750,000 after covering a furlong in a smashing :9 3/5 over the SafeTrack. The chestnut was a well-beaten third when sent off at 7-10 for her 4 1/2-furlong debut over the Churchill main track last May, but atoned for that defeat in no uncertain terms next time out, storming up the rise at Ascot beneath Ryan Moore to take the Queen Mary by a convincing 1 1/2 lengths (video). So impressive was Acapulco in defeating her peers on that occasion that she was returned to Europe to face older rivals in the G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. at York last August. Prominent early as the 8-5 chalk, she hit the front going well three furlongs out, but was run down in the final stages and settled for a gallant runner-up effort (video).
Should all go according to plan Friday night, a return trip to Royal Ascot is very much in the cards, Ward confirmed Thursday.
“The [G1] Commonwealth Cup has been the goal for this filly ever since Mr. Tabor and I had dinner once she crossed the finish line in the Nunthorpe S.,” Ward told the TDN Thursday. “Let's hope she continues to progress the way we hope.”
In Friday night's race, Acapulco is scheduled to face seven of her fellow 3-year-old fillies that appear hopelessly overmatched on paper. With far more lucrative options available, Ward explained the rationale behind decision to return at Turfway.
“After she got back from Europe, she had a beautiful mental and physical break at Ashford–not that she needed anything physically,” Ward commented. “We started galloping her at Keeneland and we brought her to Turfway and each breeze was quicker and more impressive than the previous one. So we thought instead of working her and working her, why not take advantage of what promises to be good weather this weekend and give her a race over the Polytrack? I am a huge proponent of Polytrack and the one at Turfway is outstanding and helps keep horses sound.”
Acapulco has recorded four works at Turfway, including bullet five-eighths moves in 1:00 4/5 (1/13) Jan. 30 and in :58 4/5 (1/14).
While he had no specific race in mind beyond the comebacker, Ward said the race would “set her up for something at Keeneland” and that the filly would likely be kept around one turn, at least for the time being.
“She is a big and imposing filly, but she really has the look of a sprinter,” the conditioner opined.
Owing to the late post time for Friday's race, results will appear in Sunday's TDN.
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