Acapulco Nearing Return

Acapulco (Scat Daddy)–unraced since airing in Churchill's Unbridled Sidney S. May 14–remains on target for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita Nov. 5, according to trainer Wesley Ward.

Last term's G2 Queen Mary S. heroine and G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. runner-up will return to action in Keeneland's GIII Buffalo Trace Franklin County S. versus older fillies and mares Oct. 14 before taking on the boys going down the hill on the big stage. The Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith colorbearer won her only other trip to the post this term in an optional claimer at Turfway Feb. 19. A setback while overseas forced the well-built sophomore filly to miss a second straight appearance at the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting this June.

“She won her first couple of races here [in 2016] at Turfway and Churchill and our goal was to take her over for the [G1] Commonwealth [Cup] at Royal Ascot and everything was going according to plan,” Ward commented. “She went over there and she had a nice breeze at Manton House, Robert Sangster's beautiful training facility, but unfortunately she came out of the work with a little bit of a foot abscess and it just cost us the whole summer of racing.”

Acapulco, a $180,000 FTKJUL yearling turned $750,000 OBSMAR juvenile, has posted four breezes since early September, including a five-furlong move in 1:02.60 (1/5) over the Keeneland lawn Oct. 2.

“Dr. Scott Morrison has been on the job and he's really done a fantastic job with her foot; she's doing very well right now,” Ward concluded. “He's got some plates on her that cover the whole bottom of her shoe. We're going to take those off on Friday and she'll breeze this coming Sunday with just regular shoes.”