Accelerate Breezes in the Dark for BC Classic

Trainer John Sadler may not have had a great look at his Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) favorite Oct. 27 at Santa Anita Park, but he saw enough.

Although much of Accelerate 's work Saturday morning at Santa Anita was shrouded in darkness, with his progress only trackable by the red and white lights on Sadler assistant and exercise rider Juan Leyva's helmet, the trainer was impressed with a closer view as the chestnut son of Lookin At Lucky  moved through the stretch and galloped out to a mile.

"Why couldn't the time change a week earlier?" Sadler cracked about the pre-dawn darkness that obscured the workout.

The stopwatch read 1:12 4/5 for six furlongs, with a stiff gallop out to a mile in 1:39 2/5.

Hronis Racing's four-time grade 1 winner galloped well into his work, as well, going into the clubhouse turn for the first time, and even caught unplanned company in the backstretch. That got some competitive juices going in the 5-year-old, but Sadler embraced it.

"That's probably good for him," he said.

For a horse who hasn't always been a standout workout performer, the drill signaled enough to his trainer that he is ready to take on the pursuit of Sadler's first Breeders' Cup victory.

"He went great. There's no doubt about that," Sadler said. "It's a very good sign, and he was like that before (his win in) the Pacific Classic (G1). He worked in (1:12) down there and looked very bright. He's very relaxed in the morning, and that's probably why he's lasted so long and he's still good at 5. He's a pro."

The trainer was also OK with a tougher work seven days ahead of the Breeders' Cup Classic because of expected cool and cold weather at Churchill Downs leading into the race.

"We may get days where we don't even get to train next week. The weather could be rugged out there," Sadler said from the Santa Anita grandstand, as the temperature nearly touched 60 degrees in Arcadia, Calif. "Did you see (the forecast) for (Breeders' Cup Saturday)? In the 30s with a high of 50. I know I shouldn't look at that stuff. I mean, what am I going to do?"

Moments later during the 6:30 a.m. PT training session, fellow Classic contender McKinzie worked five furlongs in 1:00 for trainer Bob Baffert in company with stablemate Dabster, who was timed in :59 3/5 for the same distance.

During the 7:45 a.m. training window, West Coast , another Baffert-trained Classic contender, covered a half-mile in :47 1/5 as he worked in company with unraced 2-year-old Trojan Magic, who was timed in :47 2/5. Sadler and Hronis' undefeated Catalina Cruiser, in preparation for the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), put in a five-furlong work in :59 4/5 in company with stakes-winning stablemate Shenandoah Queen (1:00 1/5).

Between the two workout sessions, as the main track was being renovated, Skye Diamonds put in a work for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) on the training track inside of the Santa Anita turf course. Under regular rider Tiago Pereira, the First Dude  mare and last-out L.A. Woman Stakes (G3) winner covered five furlongs in 1:02 1/5.

In the final training session at 9 a.m., Filly & Mare Sprint contenders Selcourt and Marley's Freedom worked about five minutes apart.

Selcourt, trained by Sadler, has won three straight stakes in 2018 but hasn't raced since her score in the March 24 Santa Monica Stakes (G2). The 4-year-old Tiz Wonderful filly breezed five furlongs solo in 1:00 2/5. Not long after, the Baffert-trained Marley's Freedom worked a half-mile in company with recent optional-claiming allowance winner Super Sol. Both horses were clocked in :47 flat, the fastest of 53 works at the distance Saturday.