Sadler: Accelerate, Catalina Cruiser to split up for next races

Accelerate, scratched from Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 San Diego Handicap – which was won impressively by stablemate Catalina Cruiser – worked five furlongs Sunday morning in :59.60 under exercise rider Juan Leyva at Del Mar.

The work was the fastest of 69 at the distance.

“I had him in a minute. He went very well,” Sadler said.

Sadler scratched Accelerate and Curlin Rules from the San Diego and singled Catalina Cruiser, a 4-year-old son of Union Rags who was undefeated in two previous starts for the race. Accelerate, Catalina Cruiser and Curlin Rules are all owned by Hronis Racing LLC.

An allowance race which had been an optional choice for Catalina Cruiser didn’t get enough entries to go, prompting the move that proved successful when Catalina Cruiser, ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, went wire-to-wire, pulling away to a 6 ¾-length winning margin that earned his second straight 107 Beyer speed figure.

In the winner’s circle after the San Diego, Sadler said he’d see how Catalina Cruiser and Accelerate trained before deciding upon a single entrant for  the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic on August 18. Sunday morning, he indicated the nod would go to Accelerate.

“Accelerate will go in the Pacific Classic, that’s the plan,” Sadler said. Asked about the possibility of sending Catalina Cruiser to the East for a major stakes, Sadler said: “Could be, but I really haven’t thought much about it. I haven’t thought about much beyond (the San Diego performance).”

Curlin Rules also worked Sunday morning, going five furlongs in 1:01.60.

The two winners saddled by Sadler on Saturday were Nos. 445 and 446 at Del Mar and moved him past Ron McAnally (445) into third place on the track’s all-time list behind Bob Baffert (480) and Mike Mitchell (476).