Rosario picks up mount on Accelerate for Pacific Classic

DEL MAR, Calif. - Joel Rosario will fly in from New York to replace the injured Victor Espinoza aboard Accelerate in the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 18, trainer John Sadler said Monday morning.

Sadler said he and Rosario "have a good history together," going back to when Rosario was a regular on the Southern California circuit. They were the leading trainer and jockey at the 2009 summer meeting here, for instance.

"We won the title here, won some big races together," Sadler said. "He's a good rider. And he was available."

Accelerate is the likely favorite for the Pacific Classic, a 1 1/4-mile race that is the richest race of the season here. He already owns victories this year in two other Grade 1, 1 1/4-mile races, the Santa Anita Handicap and Gold Cup at Santa Anita.

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