Acclamation wins Jim Murray Memorial Handicap by seven lenghths

Acclamation cruised to a seven-length victory in the Grade II $150,000 Jim Murray Memorial Handicap at Hollywood Park on Saturday, winning the 11/2-mile turf marathon for the second consecutive year. Falcon Rock was second and Haimish Hy third.

What made the performance under jockey Joel Rosario so impressive is that the 5-year-old son of Unusual Heat usually likes to go to the front from the outset but settled comfortably into second place behind pacesetter All Saint until Rosario put him into gear around the final turn. Acclamation’s final time of 2:25.63 was nearly a second faster than last year’s victory when he won by a record margin of 71/2 lengths.

“We always knew the horse could sit second, as long as he’s not shuffled around and bumped around,” trainer Donald Warren said. “He’s easily rateable, and he’s such a natural mile and one-half horse.”

Said Rosario: “He was nice and relaxed all the way, just galloping. When I asked him to go, he just took off.”

—Eric Sondheimer