GRADE 2 WIN FOR ACOMA

ACOMA IS COMING, ACOMA IS COMING

She was well back early, but Acoma (EMPIRE MAKER) swept past the field in the stretch to take yesterday’s GII Mrs. Revere S. at Churchill Downs by 1 1/4 lengths.

It was the third graded-stakes score for the filly, who captured the May 31 GIII Dogwood S. on the Churchill main track and the Oct. 17 GIII Valley View S. on the turf at Keeneland last time out. ‘It was just an awesome performance,’ trainer David Carroll said of the Mrs. Revere score.

‘This fall, she’s gone from strength to strength. From the [Valley View], she gained weight and trained even better. I told [jockey Julien Leparoux] in the paddock to ride her with confidence and that he’d have more horse than he did at Keeneland, which he’d need today. We thought she was sitting on a big race. I was so happy for [owner Helen Alexander and her mother, Helen Groves]; they are wonderful to train for, and it’s a privilege to train for people who let you do your thing--good things happen.’

Acoma broke her maiden in her second start at Keeneland in April, then added an allowance score in the slop at Churchill May 11. Fourth in the July 19 GI CCA Oaks after her Dogwood victory, the bay switched to the grass after running second in the Aug. 9 GIII Monmouth Oaks, taking the Valley View in her first turf try. Will she stay on the lawn in the future?

‘I think you have to have an open mind,’  Carroll said. ‘It’s just a question as to how she’s doing herself. She’ll talk to you like they all do.’ The conditioner indicated that Acoma would now get a break before gearing up for a four-year-old campaign.

The stakes success of Acoma comes as no surprise. She is a half to GISW Arch (Kris S.), and boasts champion Althea as her second dam and Broodmare of the Year Courtly Dee as her third. Her siblings have been the subject of their share of bidding wars at the yearling sales. Arch brought $710,000 at KEEJUL in 1996, GSW Festival of Light (A.P. Indy) was a $975,000 KEESEP buy, a colt by Kris S. sold for $1.2 million at KEESEP 2001 and, just this past September, a full sister to Acoma went for $1.7 million to Jon Kelly.

Date: 10 November 2008