Acceptance wins California Flag Handicap at Santa Anita

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) Acceptance won the $100,000 California Flag Handicap by a head on Saturday at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Stewart Elliott, Acceptance ran 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course in 1:11.51 and paid $12.20, $6 and $4.

Richard's Boy returned $3.20 and $2.60, while Somethings Unusual was another half-length back in third and paid $5 to show.

The victory, worth $60,000, increased Acceptance's career earnings to $366,803, with four wins in 11 starts.

Acceptance outdueled Richard's Boy going through a half-mile and moved to the inside rail. From there, the winner fended off serious challenges from Richard's Boy and favorite Boozer, who finished fifth.

''He's a nice horse,'' Elliott said. ''He's got ability and he tries.''

Acceptance is trained by Kenny Black, a former top apprentice rider in the early 1980s.

''He was tough,'' Black said. ''I thought they had him two or three times, but he just dug in. You've got to be proud of him. He really showed a lot of heart.''