Acoma back to her best in Cardinal

Acoma (left) is five-for-five at Churchill (Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography) Helen C. Alexander and Helen K. Groves' homebred ACOMA (Empire Maker) remained perfect at her home base of Churchill Downs when outdueling You Go West Girl (Mr. Greeley) by a head in Saturday's $111,700 Cardinal H. (G3). Rebounding from a pair of dismal efforts, the David Carroll filly completed 1 1/8 firm-turf miles in 1:50 and paid $9.40, $5 and $3.40 as the slight second choice at 7-2. "Home sweet home," Carroll summed up, alluding to Acoma's five-for-five mark at Churchill. "She loves it here, obviously. She'd been training beautifully. Normally I'd go into this race with tremendous confidence, but she came off a poor race (ninth in the First Lady S. [G1] at Keeneland), and I was little bit more subdued. When she walked into the paddock today -- she's just a beautiful filly. "When she walked into the paddock, how could you not have confidence? She was the pick of the paddock."

As expected, the speedy Zaskar (GB) (Anabaa) barreled to the early

lead and dictated fractions of :24, :48 2/5 and 1:13 2/5 while prompted

by Leamington (Pleasant Tap). My Baby Baby (Bernstein) and 7-2 favorite

Lemon Chiffon (Lemon Drop Kid) stalked on the outside, with You Go West

Girl enjoying a ground-saving trip along the hedge.

On the far turn, Lemon Chiffon launched a bold move and soon struck

the front, but she was immediately challenged straightening up into the

stretch. The first to accost her was My Baby Baby, who delivered her bid

to the inside. The more dangerous rallies, however, were materializing

wider out. As You Go West Girl angled out for room, Acoma was erupting

down the center of the course for new rider Jesus Castanon.

You Go West Girl and Acoma rapidly opened up on Lemon Chiffon inside the

final furlong, and the two closers battled heads apart. You Go West Girl dug

down gamely along the inside, but Acoma ultimately proved too strong.

"I had a heck of a good trip around today," Castanon said. "I waited as long

as I could before I made a move toward home. When I finally moved for home, she

really had a great turn of foot. When we went around the turn for the first time

she was in the bridle, but when we were on the backside she really began to

settle in nicely and relax. She really just seems to love it here."

You Go West Girl, the third choice at 9-2, returned $5.40 and $3.80 for her

near-miss effort. Lemon Chiffon crossed the wire another 3 1/4 lengths back in

third, yielding $3.20. The exotics were worth $54.80 (exacta), $269.40

(trifecta) and $1,240.20 (3-1-9-5 superfecta) with the 5-1 Long Approach (Broad

Brush) in fourth. My Baby Baby faded to fifth, followed by Social Queen (Dynaformer),

Leamington, Tizfiz (Tiznow) and Zaskar.

The Kentucky-bred Acoma improved

her overall record to 14-8-1-2, $665,999. Her love affair with the Twin Spires

spans both dirt and turf. The first two of her Churchill scores

came on the main track as a three-year-old in 2008 -- an entry-level allowance

followed by the Dogwood S. (G3). Over the Matt Winn Turf Course at Churchill, Acoma captured the Mrs. Revere S. (G2) last fall and the Mint Julep H. (G3) in

June, just holding on from Pure Clan (Pure Prize) in the latter.

Acoma's versatility as a capable performer on both dirt and turf is reflected

at other venues as well. Last season, she captured the Valley View S. (G3) at

Keeneland in her turf debut, and finished second in the Monmouth Oaks (G3) on

dirt. She started her 2009 campaign on a high note with a five-length romp in

the Azeri S. (G3) at Oaklawn on dirt, but disappointed when beaten 11 1/2

lengths into third in a modest renewal of the Apple Blossom H. (G1).

After her Mint Julep victory over Pure Clan, Acoma reverted to dirt for the

lucrative Delaware H. (G2), where she retreated to an uncharacteristic last of

six. Subsequent blood work revealed that something was amiss. Freshened for

three months, Acoma returned in the grassy First Lady, only to wind up last of

nine. Carroll believed that the soft ground may have contributed to

that poor showing, her first loss on turf.

To say that Acoma descends from a strong female family would be an understatement.

Her dam, stakes winner and Grade-3 placed Aurora (Danzig), has also produced

Grade 1 winner and sire Arch (Kris S.) and U.A.E. Horse of the Year Festival of

Light (A.P. Indy), as well as Arch's multiple stakes-winning full brother

Alisios. Aurora is herself a full sister to Japanese champion filly Yamanin

Paradise (Danzig).

Acoma's second dam was 1983 champion two-year-old filly Althea (Alydar) and

her third dam, Courtly Dee (Never Bend), was named Kentucky Broodmare of the

Year in 1983. This female family has produced numerous stakes winners, including

Grade/Group 1 conquerors Balletto (UAE) (Timber Country), Ali Oop (Al Hattab),

Ketoh (Exclusive Native), Aldiza (Storm Cat) and Green Desert (Danzig).

Acoma has an unraced juvenile full sister named Asian Empress, a yearling

half-sister named Amara (Bernardini) and a weanling half-sister by Dynaformer.

"That's it for this year," Carroll said regarding plans for Acoma. "We'll

shut her down and get ready for next year. We needed to see that race from her

and why not? The Breeders' Cup is here next year.

"This is a filly with a great pedigree, and we look forward to a big year next

year."