Accelerate Springs Stunning Upset in San Diego Handicap
Description:
It wasn't clear if it was a joke or not. It had to be.
As he exited the walking ring and headed toward the track July 22, trainer John Sadler was asked if he was going to shock the world with Hronis Racing's Accelerate in the $300,000 San Diego Handicap (G2) at Del Mar. To do so he would have to take down the top-rated racehorse in the world—Arrogate.
"I don't know," Sadler said. "We made it pretty tough on Zenyatta. It's closer than you think."
As Accelerate crossed the wire, it wasn't close at all, but not in the manner that was expected. Accelerate went straight to the front, set the pace, and blew the field away to win by 8 1/2 lengths. Arrogate, who trailed the five-horse field early, came in fourth—15 1/4 lengths behind the winner. Donworth finished second and Arrogate's Bob Baffert-trained stablemate, Cat Burglar, ran third.
With Victor Espinoza aboard, Accelerate finished off the 1 1/16-mile dirt test in 1:42.15.
Hronis, Sadler, and Espinoza are not unfamiliar with playing spoiler by the beach. Just a year ago it was Stellar Wind who brought the same connections a stunner over Beholder, another 1-9 favorite on the tote board, in the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1).
But Saturday was a very different tone. Stellar Wind's Hirsch win was a battle to the wire. Accelerate's San Diego was a romp, and Arrogate never really improved his position throughout the race, because the fifth-place finisher, El Huerfano, stumbled harshly at the start, which caused jockey Evin Roman to lose his irons.
Accelerate set fractions of :23.49, :47.06, and 1:11.39 through six furlongs, but with Roman bouncing around without control in the saddle, El Huerfano ran free on the outside to cut the margin to a half-length in the backstretch.
But the winning Lookin At Lucky colt, who last won six starts back in the Sept. 24 Los Alamitos Derby (G2), simply shrugged the unruly challenger off and kicked away. With a furlong to run, the advantage was seven lengths and Accelerate extended it as he powered home.