Acapulco tries to fire fresh in Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Acapulco, a winner at Royal Ascot in 2015, will make her American graded-stakes debut in Saturday’s $100,000 Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes for fillies and mares on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.

She has not raced since May, a layoff that was far from the intention of trainer Wesley Ward. In June, Acapulco was diagnosed with a foot injury that prevented her from starting at the Royal Ascot meeting in England.

“It ruined her whole summer,” Ward said.

The Grade 3 Maddy, run at about 6 1/2 furlongs on turf, will be Acapulco’s first start since a win in the minor Unbridled Sidney Stakes at Churchill Downs in mid-May.

“That was supposed to be a prep for Royal Ascot,” Ward said.

The Maddy is the last of three stakes on the undercard of the 12-race Breeders’ Cup program, which begins at 10:15 a.m. Pacific. The day’s first race is the $100,000 Juvenile Turf Sprint for 2-year-olds on the hillside turf course, followed by the $200,000 Golden State Juvenile for California-bred colts and geldings at seven furlongs. The Maddy is the third race.

Acapulco, a 3-year-old filly by Scat Daddy, has won 3 of 5 starts and earned $249,734. She won the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot in June 2015 and was second against older horses in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York Racecourse in August, her final start of that year. The Nunthorpe is the rare race open to 2-year-olds and up.

“If you look at the field, she lays over them in terms of ability,” Ward said. “She’s a Royal Ascot winner, but she’s coming off a layoff. She’s an immensely talented filly.”

Acapulco, who races near the front, will be ridden by top British rider Ryan Moore, who was aboard for the win in the Queen Mary. Acapulco is part of a field of 14 that includes Lady Shipman, who is also on the also-eligible list for the $1 million BC Turf Sprint, Saturday’s seventh race.

Trainer Richard Mandella has three runners – Juno, Off the Road, and Wild at Heart. Off the Road was last of five in the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes on dirt Oct. 1, well beaten by the champions Stellar Wind and Beholder. Wild at Heart and Juno were second and fifth in the Grade 3 L.A. Woman Stakes on dirt Oct. 9.

Ward has three candidates in a competitive running of the Juvenile Turf Sprint – the minor stakes winners Con Te Partiro and Red Lodge, and the maiden-race winner Awsum Roar.

The race drew a field of 11. The only winner over the course and distance is Partyinthepaddock, a maiden-race winner on Oct. 8. Partyinthepaddock was pre-entered for Friday’s BC Juvenile Fillies Turf but did not draw into the field.

Harbour Master, a troubled fourth in the Zuma Beach Stakes at a mile on turf Oct. 10 in his American debut, can be a factor with a clean trip.

The Juvenile Turf Sprint will be the stakes debut for Sword Fighter, a sharp maiden-race winner at 5 1/2 furlongs on Oct. 10 for trainer Peter Miller.

Miller has the favorite for the Golden State Juvenile in California Diamond.

California Diamond has won three sprint stakes this year for two trainers. He won the Santa Anita Juvenile for John Brocklebank in July and was sold two weeks later for $125,000 at the Barretts Paddock Sale at Del Mar.

Now owned by Gary Hartunian and trained by Peter Miller, California Diamond has won 2 of 4 starts since the purchase, including the Barretts Juvenile at Los Alamitos in September and the Speakeasy Stakes here on Oct. 16.

Milton Freewater and Rinse and Repeat, first and second in an optional claimer on Oct. 6, can play a role from off the pace. Milton Freewater was third in the Graduation Stakes for California-breds at Del Mar on Aug. 3.