Stellar Wind has strong workout for Sunday's Hirsch Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – There was only a brief celebration among Accelerate's connections Saturday night following the Pacific Classic because of an early work call Sunday morning.

The champion Stellar Wind – like Accelerate owned by Kosta and Pete Hronis, trained by John Sadler, and ridden by Victor Espinoza – worked at 6:30 Sunday morning in preparation for this Sunday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Clement Hirsch Stakes, in which Stellar Wind is the defending race winner.

Stellar Wind gave every indication she continues to thrive. The winner of her lone two starts this year, Stellar Wind worked five furlongs in 59.60 seconds while inhaling her company in the final furlong. She continued out strongly, with Sadler catching her in 1:12.80 galloping out six furlongs and 1:26.40 for the double gallop-out to seven furlongs.

“She went out fast,” said Sadler, who said he limited himself to one celebratory glass of wine Saturday night.

“I thought her work was super,” Sadler said. “She’s not the world’s best workhorse. They gave her 59 and 3. I had her in a minute, and she galloped out excellent.”

Stellar Wind, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2015, upset Beholder in last year’s Hirsch. This year, Stellar Wind, now 5, will be the race favorite. She is expected to have just a handful of rivals, including Vale Dori, who finished a neck behind Stellar Wind when they both last raced June 3 in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita.

Others expected for the Hirsch include Autumn Flower, Faithfully, and possibly Shenandoah Queen.

Also working Sunday was Roy H - winner of the Grade 2 True North at Belmont Park last time out - who went a half-mile in 47.20 seconds in preparation for the Grade 1, $300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes on Saturday. Paco Lopez will be in to ride, trainer Peter Miller said.

Union Strike, headed to the Test Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 5, went five furlongs in 1:00.20 for owner-trainer Mick Ruis, while the unbeaten 2-year-old Run Away, ticketed to the Grade 2, $200,000 Best Pal Stakes here Aug. 12, worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 for trainer Simon Callaghan.

Santa Anita Derby winner Gormley, who has not raced since the Belmont Stakes, went an easy five furlongs in 1:03 for trainer John Shirreffs.

* Jockey agent Mike Ciani said he has reunited with Kent Desormeaux, with whom he had great success for two years earlier this decade. Ciani most recently had represented Gary Stevens, until they parted on the eve of Del Mar’s meet. Desormeaux had been represented by Nelson Arroyo, who still handles the mounts for his brother, Norberto Arroyo Jr.