Acapulco kicks off sophomore campaign in Turfway allowance

Acapulco, the Wesley Ward-trained three-year-old filly who greatly impressed the racing community worldwide with a victory last summer at Royal Ascot, makes her season debut Friday night at Turfway Park in a $20,900 first-level allowance. The six-furlong dash on Polytrack also carries a $50,000 claiming option.

An immense physical specimen for her age and sex, Acapulco was a disappointing third in her debut over the dirt at Churchill Downs last May, but was nonetheless favored at 5-2 to carry off the Queen Mary (G2) at Royal Ascot the following month. She did not disappoint, seizing control after a quarter-mile and comfortably winning by 1 1/2 lengths under Ryan Moore.

The daughter of Scat Daddy made a return trip to England in August for the Nunthorpe (G1) at York, one of the country's most prestigious five-furlong sprints. Favored at 8-5 in the non-restricted, all-age event, the filly ran strongly again but yielded late to older filly Mecca's Angel, who won by two lengths.

Irad Ortiz Jr., who was aboard Acapulco in the Nunthorpe, will guide the filly again Friday.

Acapulco has recorded four bullet works over the Turfway strip since early January, and should prevail on pure class despite not having run on a synthetic surface. She is expected to race once more, likely at Keeneland in April, before embarking on another jaunt to Royal Ascot in June, probably for the Commonwealth Cup (G1) for three-year-olds at six furlongs.

A $750,000 OBS March purchase by Coolmore last year, Acapulco is by the late Scat Daddy out of the multiple stakes-winning End Sweep mare Global Finance.

(Photo courtesy of www.independent.ie)