Although a filly beat the boys in Saturday's Belmont Stakes, there were also three stakes races on the undercard restricted to the distaff division. The $250,000 Acorn Stakes (G1) featured a field of six 3-year-old fillies going 1 mile on the main track, with Nassau County and Old Hat winner Dream Rush sent off as the heavy 3-5 favorite over 4-1 Christmas Kid and 5-1 Boca Grande.
Dream Rush was loose on the lead down the backstretch setting a hot pace of 22.24, 45.10, and 1:09.13, while as many as 3 lengths clear of the competition. Midway through the stretch she looked home free with a 1 1/2-length advantage but 6-1 Cotton Blossom was closing with a rush on the outside after bobbling at the start. Cotton Blossom responded when roused by jockey John Velazquez and drove clear late to win by a length in 1:34.70 over the fast main track. It was a long 8 1/4 lengths back from Dream Rush to Christmas Kid in third.
Results chart
