Accelerate made trainer John Sadler’s first Breeders’ Cup victory a big one, winning the $6 million Classic at Churchill Downs on Saturday.
Sadler was 0-44 in Breeders’ Cup starts coming into the 1 1/4-mile showpiece of the $30 million festival, including a close call in the Mile earlier in the day at Louisville, Kentucky.
“Feels really good,” said Sadler, who admitted the constant questions about his Breeders’ Cup record had become “a point of irritation”.
Now, all that can be forgotten.
“We’ve got the big one,” he said. “So it’s a good day.”
Ridden by Joel Rosario, Accelerate showed some reluctance to enter the starting gate, but he broke cleanly and settled in as the Aidan O’Brien-trained Mendelssohn took the lead under Ryan Moore and blazed through a sizzling first quarter-mile.
Mendelssohn was still in front when they turned for home, but he couldn’t hold off the challenge of 5-2 favorite Accelerate, who won by a length from 28-1 shot Gunnevera.
Godolphin’s Thunder Snow, the Dubai World Cup winner, challenged late but finished third, 1 3/4 lengths back.
