Colt Born in Kentucky is Accelerate's First Foal
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Accelerate at Lane's End
The first foal by 2018 champion older dirt male Accelerate hit the ground Jan. 21 in Lexington.
The colt is the first foal out of the Congrats mare Sweet Congrats, who hails from the family of 2018 Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser winner Dixie Moon, as well as stakes winners Guy Caballero and Candybedandy.
"We're very excited about him. He's a very strong, good-bodied foal very much like his sire," said Bob McCann of McCann Bloodstock, which purchased Sweet Congrats for $21,000 during the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale last year. "We love Accelerate. A five-time grade 1 winner, $380,000 yearling, and he is great value at $20,000 (stud fee)."
Campaigned by Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler, Accelerate won $6,692,480 from a record of 10-5-6 in 23 starts. Kicking off his career as a 3-year-old, the son of Lookin At Lucky broke his maiden in his fourth start by 8 3/4 lengths and then stepped up to win the Shared Belief Stakes and Los Alamitos Derby (G2). The competition got stiffer, but he managed to finish third in that year's Las Vegas Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).
He returned the following year and placed in four races before landing the TVG San Diego Handicap (G2) in his only win of the season.
His 5-year-old season was by far his most successful. Accelerate posted six wins in seven starts in 2018, taking the San Pasqual Stakes (G2) and Santa Anita Handicap Presented by San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino (G1) to start the year. In his only loss of the season, he placed second—a neck behind City of Light —in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2).
He came back to win four grade 1 tests in a row, culminating in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs. He was retired in 2019 after finishing third in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) in late January.
Standing at Lane's End alongside City of Light, Accelerate bred a first-season book of 167 mares at a $20,000 fee.