Accelerate bests West Coast in Awesome Again Stakes

Hronis Racing’s Accelerate cemented his name as the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic favorite Saturday, winning the Grade 1, $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes over West Coast at Santa Anita Park.

The Awesome Again was built as a showdown between the seasoned horse and the impressive horse coming off the shelf. Accelerate entered his final Breeders’ Cup prep off his Grade 1 Pacific Classic romp while West Coast was making his first start since second in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup in March.

West Coast also provided Accelerate with some tougher competition before he ships to Churchill Downs for the Nov. 3 Classic. The win left trainer John Sadler in a jovial mood.

“It’s a good feeling that we might go into the Classic the favorite because I like being the favorite,” Sadler said. “It has the highest probability of winning. He’s a good horse, doing great and probably the best horse in the country now, clearly. We’ll be ready.”

Made the 1-5 favorite, Accelerate acted up behind the starting gates and continued to move around once he was loaded under jockey Joel Rosario, who took over after Victor Espinoza was injured. The 5-year-old horse nearly missed the break and came away last. West Coast was sharp and away in better order under Mike Smith.

“I should have taken him one more time to the gate to stand,” Sadler said afterward. “But, he overcame it, got a nice clean trip and the best horse prevailed today.”

Shades of Victory initially grabbed the lead, but West Coast was keen to take over. The opening quarters went in 22.89, 46.17 and 1:10.35. As West Coast moved, so did Accelerate.

While the original pacesetter couldn’t keep up, Isotherm provided the two favorites an extra challenge. West Coast was on the rail, Accelerate was wide and Isotherm turned down the middle of the track. Isotherm was the first to give in and as hard as West Coast tried, Accelerate was too good, making up all the ground he lost early and winning by 2 ¼ lengths.

Rosario was focused on getting into a good position after the slow start, and getting the horse comfortable quick paid off.

“He was waiting on the turn and then he took off,” Rosario said of Accelerate. “He’s a really special horse and I’m thankful John gave me the opportunity to ride him the last two times.”

Accelerate finished the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.38. West Coast held for second over Isotherm.

A win at the Breeders’ Cup would be the first World Championship victory for Sadler. Bob Baffert, who conditioned West Coast to third in last year’s Classic, has won the finale three times between Bayern, American Pharoah and Arrogate.

“Breeders’ Cup is obviously next up. We’ll train here at home and then go and follow Bob Baffert over there to Churchill about a week before,” Sadler joked. “We’ll kind of walk behind Bob and creep up on him.”

The Classic was not definite for West Coast before his return in the Awesome Again, but the effort seemed to have made an effect on trainer Bob Baffert.

“He’s got a chance to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic with this race under his belt. He made that horse run today,” Baffert said. “We got beat by a really good horse . . . (West Coast) was empty earlier than I thought, but his class kept him in it, he kept running. This race will really set him up well for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.”

Jockey Smith also felt the prep would help West Coast move forward.

“He really ran a huge race and had an incredible run,” he said. “I couldn’t ask for more out of him. He really needed that push and we forced him to move forward a little more but I think that he did well and it was good for him.”