Grade 1 Winner Accelerate Pointed to Oaklawn Handicap

The Southern California-based Accelerate, a 5 1/2-length winner of the March 10 Santa Anita Handicap Presented by San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino (G1) at Santa Anita Park, will be pointed to the $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) April 14, trainer John Sadler said.

"He's going to breeze a little bit on Monday here, and that's the way we're headed," Sadler said March 25.

Sadler will be seeking his first victory in Oaklawn's biggest two-turn race for older horses. He won the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) in 2010 with Line of David and captured two more races during the 2017 Racing Festival of the South, both for major client Hronis Racing, which owns Accelerate.

Hronis Racing ran three horses, solely or in partnership, during last year's Racing Festival of the South, winning the $600,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares with champion Stellar Wind and the $150,000 Northern Spur Stakes for 3-year-olds with Cistron, the latter co-owned by Little Red Feather Racing. Hronis Racing also finished sixth in the $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) for older horses with Moe Candy.

Sadler had also planned to run Accelerate in the 2017 Oaklawn Handicap, but the 5-year-old son of champion Lookin At Lucky   developed a "shipping fever" after being flown to Arkansas.

"He's a hearty horse, and he's never had a fever like (that)," Sadler said. "It was the wrong time. But we're going back for a do-over."

Sadler said he's also looking at the $400,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) April 14 with multiple stakes winner Edwards Going Left, and stakes-winning Shenandoah Queen could be considered for the $700,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 13.

Both horses are owned by Hronis Racing.

Accelerate has a 6-4-5 record from 17 starts, and his Santa Anita Handicap score pushed his earnings to $1,262,480. Accelerate, who has never raced outside Southern California, defeated champion Arrogate  in the $300,000 TVG San Diego Handicap (G2) in July at Del Mar.

Also pointing for the Oaklawn Handicap is defending champion Inside Straight, who worked a half-mile in :49 1/5 Saturday morning for trainer Robertino Diodoro.