Acoma saves her best for last

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Acoma saved her best race for her season finale.

Making the last start of her 3-year-old season, which has included victories in the Dogwood and Valley View stakes, Acoma swept past the field with a devastating stretch rally to win the Grade 2, $201,950 Mrs. Revere Stakes at Churchill Downs Saturday.

Confidently handled by jockey Julien Leparoux, Acoma settled in midpack early, as My Baby Baby sped to the lead, setting moderate fractions of 24.04 seconds, 47.69, and 1:12.28 in the 1 1/16-mile grass race for 3-year-old fillies. And there she ran for much of the race, before beginning to advance exiting the final turn.

In the stretch she showed what she could do. Unleashing a powerful turn of foot, she blew past everything in front of her with ease, running down My Baby Baby, who had spurted away to a 2 1/2-length lead in midstretch, in the final 70 yards.

Acoma won by 1 1/4 lengths, covering 1 1/16 miles on firm course in 1:43.52. The winner, a 3-year-old daughter of Empire Maker owned and bred by Helen Alexander and Helen Groves, paid $7.20 as the second choice in the field of 11.

"She picked up her game," trainer David Carroll said.

Leparoux echoed that sentiment after the race, noting she grinded out a victory in the Valley View, in contrast to Saturday when, he said, "she kicked in the straight."

My Baby Baby held second, a length in front of Scolara, who rallied for third.

My Princess Jess, the 7-5 favorite, finished a troubled fifth after being hung wide from start to finish.

Carroll said Acoma would be freshened and that her next start would probably be during the Keeneland meet next April.

* Earlier on the card, Taletobetold ($5.80) turned back a bold challenge from 42-1 shot Simply Seattle to win race 7, a $56,000 allowance that had a stakes-quality field. She ran the five furlongs in 57.20 over firm turf.

Ahvee's Destiny, the 7-2 second choice on the morning line, was scratched.