Acapulco sharpens for Royal Ascot by romping in Unbridled Sidney

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Acapulco got a perfect prep for a return trip to England when satisfying her many supporters by gliding to a 3 1/2-length triumph Saturday in the $65,000 Unbridled Sidney on the Churchill Downs turf.

“You couldn’t have asked for anything better,” trainer Wesley Ward said after Acapulco defeated five older fillies and mares in the five-furlong race.

Owned by the Coolmore group, Acapulco will make her next start at the Royal Ascot meet in either the June 14 King’s Stand or June 17 Commonwealth Cup, both Group 1 races. As a 2-year-old last summer, Acapulco, a daughter of Scat Daddy, won the Group 2 Queen Mary at Royal Ascot before finishing second versus male rivals in the Group 1 Coolmore Nunthorpe at York.

Ridden by Robby Albarado, Acapulco broke sharply from her rail post and attended a pace contested to her outside by Amarachi and Calypso Run. Leaving the quarter pole, Albarado let out a notch, and that was that. Acapulco returned $4 as favorite after finishing in 57.47 seconds over a course that was rated firm but definitely had some give after considerable rain in preceding days.

Late Spring ran on late to be second, another 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Lindisfarne, who was followed in order by Calypso Run, Fonepferesh, and Amarachi.

“I told my agent I didn’t care if she was running against boys, girls, older, whatever,” said Albarado. “She’s a really fast horse.”

Ward said Coolmore’s contract rider, Ryan Moore, will have first chance to ride Acapulco, but if for some reason Moore cannot, Ward will ask the owners if Albarado can come ride her.

“Robby’s done a whole lot of work with her all along,” said Ward.

The $2 exacta (1-2) paid $12.20, the $1 trifecta (1-2-8) returned $10.80, and the 10-cent superfecta (1-2-8-6) was worth a mere $2.08.