Stellar Wind among three stakes horses Sadler may ship to Oaklawn

ARCADIA, Calif. – Stellar Wind is one of three top Santa Anita-based runners trained by John Sadler and owned by Hronis Racing being considered for graded stakes in April at Oaklawn Park.

Stellar Wind will target the Grade 1 Apple Blossom on April 15, Accelerate could run in the Santa Anita Handicap March 11 but more likely will wait for the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap on April 16; Moe Candy is aiming to the Grade 3 Count Fleet for sprinters on April 10.

“I don’t want it to sound like I’m taking everything to Oaklawn, but I am,” Sadler said.

A wet winter in California played a role.

Stellar Wind, champion 3-year-old filly in 2015 and upset winner twice over Beholder in 2016, originally targeted the Grade 1 Santa Margarita on March 11 at Santa Anita as her comeback, but Sadler ran out of time after her training was interrupted by rain and track conditions.

Stellar Wind has not started since a fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 4. She has won seven races and more than $1.4 million. Stellar Wind will have her fifth comeback workout Thursday or Friday.

Accelerate, a Grade 2 winner nominated to the Big Cap, missed time due to weather after finishing third in the Grade 2 San Antonio on Feb. 4. Sadler did not rule out the 1 1/4-mile Big Cap, but was leaning to the 1 1/8-mile Oaklawn Handicap.

“I’m going to work him [Thursday or Friday], and see how the Big Cap shapes up. I’m a little hesitant of a mile and one-quarter. I don’t know if that’s his distance,” Sadler said.

Accelerate, winner of the Los Alamitos Derby and third in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, has won 3 of 9 starts and $402,880.

Moe Candy was nominated to the Grade 1, seven-furlong Triple Bend on the March 11 Big Cap undercard, but Sadler is more likely to wait for the six-furlong Count Fleet. In his most recent start Feb. 4, Moe Candy finished second in the Grade 2 Palos Verdes.

Sadler has plenty of action at Santa Anita in coming weeks, including the exciting 3-year-old filly Selcourt. She won her debut Feb. 12 by more than nine lengths and is expected to make the second start of her career April 9 in the $75,000 Santa Paula Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs.

Although she was one of the 23 fillies offered in the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, Sadler suggested the Oaks currently is not a target.

“I’m not going to rush her,” Sadler said. “She’s good enough to be on the list, but I’m not going to rush her into Unique Bella.”

Thursday at Santa Anita, Sadler will start Conquest Smartee in a turf sprint for maidens. A 3-year-old full brother to Square Eddie, Conquest Smartee was purchased for $390,000 by Hronis at the Conquest Stables dispersal in November.