The speedy Acapulco (Scat Daddy), scratched from last week's G1 King's Stand S. at Royal Ascot due to the soft going, will bid to build on her second-place finish in last year's G1 Nunthorpe S. in the 2016 renewal of that contest at York Aug. 19. The Coolmore flagbearer won last year's G2 Queen Mary S. at the Royal meeting before finishing second to the elder Mecca's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the Nunthorpe, and trainer Wesley Ward said the chestnut has grown up since her juvenile campaign.
“We are excited about Acapulco going,” Ward said. “Unfortunately the ground was against her at Ascot. We are crossing our fingers that hopefully we get some sunshine at York. She ran a beautiful race on the going there last year. She showed an affinity for it and I think she's a bigger, stronger, faster filly this year and will pack a lot more weight than she did last year. She's a big, strong filly and I think she can handle it.”
Ward took the Queen Mary again this year with Stonestreet colourbearer Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy). The bay has also been given a Nunthorpe entry, but Ward warned she is highly unlikely to follow Acapulco's path of last year. Instead, she is likely to take in the G1 Prix Morny, which was won by the Ward-trained No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) in 2013.
“We are just keeping the options open, but she's 90% going to the Morny in France,” Ward confirmed. “Everything's fine with her after Ascot.”
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