Arrogate and Accelerate both work half-mile for Pacific Classic

Arrogate and Accelerate both worked a half-mile on Tuesday. It was the first significant exercise for each since Accelerate’s stunning upset of World No. 1 Arrogate in the $300,000 Grade II TVG San Diego Handicap on July 22, a race in which Arrogate finished fourth in a field of five.

The works figure to be the first for each in a series leading up to starts in the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic on August 19.

Arrogate, with Martin Garcia up, worked four furlongs in a bullet :47.20, the best of 21 at the distance for the day. Arrogate and Garcia broke alone from the half-mile pole, posting a first quarter in :24 flat and galloping out to five furlongs in 1:00.20. Trainer Bob Baffert said he was pleased with the effort and reiterated that the Pacific Classic is the next race target.

Accelerate, with exercise rider Jose Contreras up, went a half-mile in :48.60 by the track’s official clockers. Trainer John Sadler had split times of :12.20, :24.20 and :36.40 leading up to the final time. “Nice and smooth, just a maintenance work,” Sadler said. “He’ll have two more before the Pacific Classic and then we’ll see how he is.”

On Tuesday, Baffert also worked Diamondsandpearls (4f, :48.0) for Saturday’s Sorrento Stakes and Collected (6f, 1:11.40) for a start to be determined, possibly in the Pacific Classic.