Grade I winner Accelerate targeting $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap on April 14

By Matthew Cox —-

The Southern California-based, 5-year-old son of champion Lookin At Lucky, was a 5 ½-length winner of the $600,000 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) March 10 at Santa Anita to reach seven figures in career earnings.

The Grade 1 winner and millionaire is targeting the $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) April 14 for his next start, trainer John Sadler said Saturday morning.

“He’s going to breeze a little bit on Monday here, and that’s the way we’re headed,” Sadler said.

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 (eventual Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver was second) and captured two more races during the 2017 Racing Festival of the South, both for major client Hronis Racing LLC (brothers Kosta and Pete Hronis), which owns Accelerate.

Hronis Racing LLC 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 LLC 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 Oaklawn Handicap, but said the horse developed a “shipping fever” after being flown to Arkansas.

“He’s a hearty horse, and he’s never had a fever like this time,” 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 with a good performance in the $100,000 Harry Henson Handicap Sunday at Sunland Park.

Both horses are owned by Hronis Racing LLC.

Accelerate has a 6-4-5 record from 17 lifetime starts and earnings of $1,262,480. Accelerate, who has never raced outside Southern California, beat champion Arrogate in the $300,000 San Diego Handicap (G2) last July at Del Mar.

Also pointing for the Oaklawn Handicap is defending champion Inside Straight, who worked a half-mile in :49.20 Saturday morning for trainer Robertino Diodoro.

$2 Million Man

Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen became the first trainer at the meet to reach $2 million in purse earnings with Mia Mischief’s runaway victory in Saturday’s $150,000 Purple Martin Stakes for 3-year-old filly sprinters.

Asmussen ($2,039,688) reached the milestone on the 42nd day of racing.

Asmussen, who has a meet-best 30 victories this year, is seeking his ninth Oaklawn training title since 2007.

Mia Mischief represented Asmussen’s 7,968th career North American victory (No. 2 all time), according to Equibase, racing’s official data gathering organization. He recorded his 7,000th career North American victory April 1, 2015, at Oaklawn.

Asmussen has 569 career victories at Oaklawn and has won the Purple Martin (also run as the Althea and Instant Racing) a record five times. Mia Mischief ran 6 furlongs over a fast track in a stakes-record 1:09.65, winning by 8 ¼ lengths as the 3-5 favorite. The race has been run at 6 furlongs since 2013.

Asmussen has 74 career Oaklawn stakes victories, according to Equibase.

Mia Mischief gave five-time defending riding champion Ricardo Santana Jr. his 984th career North American victory, according to Equibase. Santana has 389 career victories at Oaklawn, including a meet-high 46 this year.

Over the Rainbow

Unbeaten Hoonani Road is among nine horses entered in Friday’s $100,000 Rainbow Stakes for 3-year-old Arkansas-bred colts and geldings.

Owned by Jerry Caroom of Hot Springs and trained by Wayne Catalano, Hoonani Road is 2 for 2 at the meet. Channing Hill, the trainer’s son-in-law, is named to ride from post 5.

Also entered are Zack Ridge Road, Bebop Shoes, Spanish Avenue, Ray’s Big Boy, Suspicious Eyes, Spotitude, Hamazing Vision and East Moon Lake.

Probable post time for the 6-furlong Rainbow, the eighth of nine races, is 4:42 p.m. (Central).

Finish Lines

The track was rated fast for workouts Sunday morning. … Multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Ministry worked 5 furlongs in 1:01 Sunday morning for trainer Jaime Gonzalez. … Newcomers David Cabrera and David Cohen each rode two winners on Saturday’s 10-race card. Cabrera and Cohen rank second and third in the standings with 31 and 30 victories, respectively. … Leading apprentice Edgar Morales rode his 13th winner of the meeting Saturday to move into a 10th-place tie in the standings. … Eskimo Kisses, a two-time winner at the meet for trainer Kenny McPeek, finished second in the $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) for 3-year-old fillies Saturday at Fair Grounds. … My Boy Jack, winner of the $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 19, finished third in the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) for 3-year-olds Saturday at Fair Grounds. The Southwest is Oaklawn’s second of four major two-turn preps for the Kentucky Derby.

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