Accelerate 'maybe better than ever' in latest work, Sadler says

At 6:30 Saturday morning, with temperatures hovering above freezing at Santa Anita Park, Accelerate turned on the heat with a five-furlong move in 1:00.40 as the Horse of the Year contender moved a step closer to the final race of his career in the Grade 1, $9 million Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 26 at Gulfstream Park.

“Super, a really good work this morning,” trainer John Sadler said of the last out winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic. “The next three or four works are all kind of key. Now we’re starting to let him do a little bit more, and he looked very sharp this morning, maybe better than ever.

"You hate to say that, but it’s the truth.”

Sadler plans to ship “Monday or Tuesday” before the richest race in North America, to be decided at a mile and an eighth.

“He’ll gallop over the track there,” Sadler said. “He’s been a good shipper this year. The previous year, he wasn’t a good shipper; this year he’s been fine.”

Assistant trainer Juan Leyva was aboard for the workout, and will do honors next Saturday, when Accelerate is scheduled to breeze again.

Also working Saturday was Pegasus-bound City of Light, the only horse to conquer  Accelerate  this year, having done so in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) last April 14. The hard-hitting son of Quality Road went five furlongs in a minute flat for trainer Michael McCarthy.