Acclamation to stand at Old English Rancho in 2013; could return to racing later in year

Acclamation, the champion older male of 2011, is scheduled to begin a stallion career at Old English Rancho in Sanger, Calif., in 2013 and could return to racing in the second half of the year, owner Bud Johnston said Thursday.

Acclamation is scheduled to be sent to the farm in December. He will stand for $20,000, live foal.

The $20,000 fee for Acclamation equals the highest fee in the state.

Unusual Heat, California's leading sire by progeny earnings, stood for $20,000 earlier this year.

A potential resumption of his racing career depends on how Acclamation recovers from a strained ligament in a foreleg that has kept him away from racing since July.

“We need to evaluate the injury and see how it heals,” Johnston said. “There is a possibility we can do it. The injury has to be healed 100 percent. The vets say in four or five months it should be 100 percent. If we plan on bringing him back, we’d start jogging every day and breeding him when we want to.”

A California-bred by Unusual Heat, Acclamation, 6, has won 11 of 30 starts and $1,958,048. A winner of six Grade 1 races in his career, Acclamation has won his last seven starts, all in graded stakes.

The current winning streak began in the Grade 1 Charles Whittingham Handicap in June 2011 and includes the Grade 1 Pacific Classic in 2011, the 2012 Whittingham, and the Grade 1 Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar in July, his most recent start.

Acclamation was sidelined in August when training for the Pacific Classic. The injury had not subsided by early October, forcing the end of his 2012 season.

Trainer Don Warren said that Acclamation has a temperament that would allow him to return to racing after being bred to mares.

“He’s such a kind horse,” he said.

Currently, Acclamation is with Warren at Santa Anita.

“He’s with me right now,” Warren said. “I’ve been putting a blister on the ligament that has been a problem. When I’m done with that, I’ll send him to the farm.”