Accelerate Seeks Repeat in San Diego Handicap

The buzz around Hronis Racing's Accelerate entering the summer meet at Del Mar is starkly different from a year ago.

In the 2017 TVG San Diego Handicap (G2), few were given any shot to upset horse du jour Arrogate , who was fresh off one of the most impressive victories in recent memory in the Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline (G1).

The Del Mar paddock was packed. Everyone wanted a look at the commanding gray, even if it was just a glimpse.

But while the crowd fixated on Arrogate, trainer John Sadler and owner Kosta Hronis left the walking ring with confident smiles. As the field walked out to the main track, Sadler said the talent gap between Accelerate and Arrogate was "closer than you think."

The San Diego was the beginning of the end for Arrogate, but it was Accelerate's coming-out party as a top-level handicap horse. Under jockey Victor Espinoza, the son of Lookin At Lucky  shot to the lead and never looked back in an 8 1/2-length romp. Arrogate finished fourth, beaten 15 1/4 lengths, and never found his way back to the winner's circle.

BALAN: Accelerate Springs Stunning Upset as Arrogate Falters

Fast forward 12 months and Accelerate, although unlikely to ever reach the stature of Arrogate at his peak, is in the position of favorite entering the $200,000 prep for the TVG Pacific Classic (G1).

Accelerate, like Arrogate, didn't win again in 2017 after his San Diego victory, but he has been arguably the best older horse in the country in 2018. The 5-year-old began his season with a victory in the San Pasqual Stakes (G2) despite a troubled trip, romped in the slop to win the Santa Anita Handicap Presented by San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino (G1), was beaten a neck in his first trip outside of California in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2), and returned home to win the May 26 Gold Cup at Santa Anita (G1) last time out.

"It's maturity," Sadler said of Accelerate's standout season. "He was kind of a late foal (May 2013) and he got off to a late start, but he's progressed every year."

Early in his career, question marks popped up frequently about Accelerate's ceiling. In 2016, he broke his maiden and won the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar, then won the Los Alamitos Derby (G2). But he went winless in his first eight starts at Santa Anita until the San Pasqual. When that question was answered, even Sadler admitted he wasn't sure about Accelerate's ability to stretch out to the classic distance. Then came the scores at a mile and a quarter in the Big 'Cap and Gold Cup.

BALAN: Accelerate Pulls Away Late in Gold Cup Victory

"I was a little concerned with (the mile and a quarter last year), but this year that's not the case," Sadler said. "But a lot of that stuff could have been circumstance. He likes this track, though, so here we are in year three."

If an upset comes again in the San Diego, it may be from a horse carrying the same Hronis Racing silks. Sadler and Hronis have two other entrants in the 1 1/16-mile race July 21. Sadler isn't showing his hand yet but admitted July 19 he won't run all three—Accelerate, Catalina Cruiser, and Curlin Rules.

Curlin Rules, last seen finishing a far-back sixth in the Native Diver Stakes (G3) at Del Mar in November, could make his 5-year-old debut in the San Diego as a first-time gelding, while undefeated Catalina Cruiser could step into stakes waters for the first time.

A 4-year-old Union Rags  colt, Catalina Cruiser has only raced twice, but each start has been impressive. In his October debut at Santa Anita, he stalked and pounced to win a six-furlong maiden special weight by 2 1/4 lengths. Then, after an extended layoff, he set the pace and won by the same margin May 19 in a six-furlong optional-claiming allowance.

A stretch out to two turns against graded company would be a significant step up for Catalina Cruiser, but Sadler expressed praise for the chestnut colt, whom the trainer said had "little things" along the way that held him back from making more races.

"He's a monster," the trainer said. "He's just two races into his career, so he has some easier races he can go through. He's a horse with high potential. We don't know where his ceiling is going to be, so that's pretty exciting."

Another wild card in the field is Sharp Samurai, a three-time graded winner on grass. Trainer Mark Glatt said Thursday the First Samurai  gelding would be cross-entered in the July 22 Eddie Read Stakes (G2T) at Del Mar. Glatt said Sharp Samurai will likely run in the Eddie Read, but dirt in the future is not out of the question.

"Our options are open, but most likely he will run in the Eddie Read. Of course, it was a long time ago and against maidens, but he has run very well on dirt," Glatt said of Sharp Samurai's 9 1/4-length victory on the Santa Anita main track in February 2017. "I think at some point we will probably give it a try again. At the end of the day, he's six-for-eight on turf, so it's a little hard to (go back to dirt), but it's a thought we've had."

Trainer Bob Baffert has a pair entered in the San Diego: grade 2 winner Dr. Dorr and allowance winner Dabster. Dr. Dorr impressively won the April 28 Californian Stakes (G2) before a runner-up effort behind Accelerate in the Gold Cup and a ninth-place run last time out in the July 7 Suburban Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park. Dabster finished fifth last time out in the seven-furlong San Carlos Stakes (G2) June 23.

BALAN: Dr. Dorr Dominant in Californian Stakes

Last-out Philip H. Iselin Stakes (G3) winner Harlan Punch, three-time allowance winner Two Thirty Five, San Carlos fourth El Huerfano, and multiple graded stakes-placed Prince of Arabia complete the field.

Entries: San Diego H. (G2)

Del Mar, Saturday, July 21, 2018, Race 7

• Grade II
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 5:07 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Catalina Cruiser (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	115	John W. Sadler	8/1
2	2Dr. Dorr (KY)	Joseph Talamo	121	Bob Baffert	5/1
98	3Sharp Samurai (KY)	SCRATCHED	0	UNKNOWN	-
3	4Two Thirty Five (KY)	Franklin Ceballos	116	Richard Baltas	6/1
4	5Curlin Rules (KY)	Tyler Baze	116	John W. Sadler	20/1
98	6Prince of Arabia (KY)	SCRATCHED	0	UNKNOWN	-
5	7Accelerate (KY)	Victor Espinoza	125	John W. Sadler	8/5
6	8El Huerfano (CA)	Tyler Conner	116	Peter Miller	20/1
7	9Dabster (KY)	Flavien Prat	116	Bob Baffert	8/1
8	10Harlan Punch (KY)	Martin A. Pedroza	118	David Jacobson	8/1