Accelerate taking proven path into Pegasus World Cup

Horse of the Year contender Accelerate worked six furlongs in a bullet 1:13.40 Saturday morning toward his final race, the Grade 1, $9 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 26.

It was the fastest of 18 works at the distance, the average time of which was 1:14.96.

“He galloped out (seven furlongs) in (one) 27.41,” said trainer John Sadler, who had assistant trainer Juan Leyva aboard for the drill. “He worked really well, just like himself.

"...He went great. I like to think he’s on the same pattern he was before he won the Pacific Classic."

That race, the son of Lookin At Luck won by a stakes record 12 1/2 lengths.

“He might work seven furlongs next Saturday, or possibly three quarters in company and gallop out," Sadler said. "That will be the biggest work of the series, next Saturday.”

Accelerate is scheduled to ship Monday, Jan. 21, for North America’s richest race to be decided at 1 1/8 miles.

Also working Saturday for the Pegasus World Cup was City of Light, the only horse to defeat  Accelerate this year having done so in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) last April.

The son of Quality Road went five furlongs for Michael McCarthy in a bullet 1:00, fastest of 102 drills at the distance, the average time of which was 1:02.45.