Acceptance staying with Cal-breds - for now

CYPRESS, Calif. – Acceptance, unbeaten in three starts after winning Sunday’s King Glorious Stakes, is likely to remain in the California-bred division for his first start of 2015.

Co-owner Bud Johnston said after the King Glorious that Acceptance will be pointed for the $250,000 California Cup Derby over 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Jan. 24.

The King Glorious and Cal Cup Derby are part of the Golden State Series for California-breds. In the winter of 2013-14, California Chrome won those two races as part of a six-race winning streak that included the Santa Anita Derby, Kentucky Derby, and Preakness Stakes.

If Acceptance wins the Cal Cup Derby, he would make his next start in a graded stakes at Santa Anita, possibly the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes over 1 1/16 miles on March 7. That race also was part of California Chrome’s winning streak.

Johnston is eager to try Acceptance against tougher competition but is trying to temper his expectations.

“You can only plan so far ahead, but he has so much talent,” Johnston said. “You don’t know how far that will take you.”

Acceptance is trained by Don Warren. In the King Glorious Stakes, the colt, by Vronsky, stalked the pace to early stretch and pulled away from five rivals to win by three lengths. Acceptance has earned $257,600 for Johnston, his wife, Judy, and Robert Riggio.