Saturday, Del Mar
EDDIE READ S.-GI, $300,000, DMR, 7-21, 3yo/up, 1 1/8mT, 1:46 4/5, fm.
1--ACCLAMATION, 123, h, 6, by Unusual Heat
        1st Dam: Winning in Style, by Silveyville
        2nd Dam: Lady With Style, by Fleet Discovery
        3rd Dam: Solidity, by Solidarity
O-Peter Hilvers & Mary & E W & Judy Johnston; B-Old English Rancho (CA); T-Donald Warren; J-Patrick A Valenzuela; $180,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. Older Male, 30-11-2-6, $1,958,048. *1/2 to Strut Your Stuff (Bold Badgett), SP, $233,137; and Always In Style (Lucayan Prince), MSP, $153,252. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2--Interaction (Arg), 119, h, 6, Easing Along--Inter Rails (Arg), by Ride the Rails. O-Pozo de Luna Inc; B-Haras Futuro S R L (ARG); T-Ronald L McAnally; $60,000.
3--Casino Host, 121, c, 4, Dynaformer--Ensenada, by Seeking the Gold. ($290,000 yrl '09 KEESEP). O-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc; B-Colts Neck Stables LLC (KY); T-Ronald W Ellis; $36,000.   
Margins: 2 3/4, 2 1/4, 3/4. Odds: 0.50, 11.60, 6.60.
Also Ran: Hog's Hollow, Slim Shadey (GB).
Click for the brisnet.com chart, the brisnet.com PPs or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Taylor Made Sales.
   Reigning champion older male Acclamation made it seven straight with a hasslefree and successful defense of his title in this first Grade I of the Del Mar meeting. The bay commenced his winning streak with a seven-length score in the GII Jim Murray H. before taking the 2011 GI Charles Whittingham H. ahead of a 3 1/4-length defeat of Jeranimo (Congaree) in this event. Patrick Valenzuela was at the controls for a pillar-to-post score from Twirling Candy (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GI Pacific Classic on the local Poly Aug. 28, and he bagged a fifth straight win in the GI Clement L. Hirsch S. at Santa Anita Oct. 2. A horse without a Breeders' Cup home, Acclamation was put away for the year, but celebrated an Eclipse Award in January. His return to action this season was delayed just a bit, but he finally resumed with a one-length win over Silm Shadey (GB) (Val Royal {Fr}) in defense of his Whittingham title June 9. One of the least complicated horses in training, Acclamation was pointed towards the front by Valenzuela, and they clicked off easy fractions of :24.94, :49.00 and 1:12.57 for the opening three-quarters of a mile. Slim Shadey and later Interaction tried to make a race of it, but Acclamation put four on them with a furlong to race and coasted in the easiest of winners. "I'm going to say this now and I mean it: he's a great horse," the winninng jockey commented. "I've been lucky enough to ride some very good horses, champions, like Sunday Silence and Arazi and Best Pal. And this horse is right there with them. This horse does it all. On turf. On dirt. On Polytrack. He can do it all. He is just amazing."