Stellar Wind pencilled in for spring return

Stellar Wind, who defeated Beholder in two Grade 1 races before a slow-start fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, will return to racing sooner in 2017 than she did in 2016, trainer John Sadler said this week.

Stellar Wind, 2 for 4 in 2016, did not make her first start of this season until June.

“She’ll come back sooner, I would think April,” Sadler said. “And she’s going to be one of the ones.”

Owned by Hronis Racing, Stellar Wind has won seven races and more than $1.4 million from 12 starts. Stellar Wind and Songbird will enter 2017 as the top-ranked California-based fillies and mares.

Sadler also has 2017 to look forward to with Accelerate, third in the BC Dirt Mile at 3 in his first start against older winners.

“He’s an improving horse, and he’s a young horse,” Sadler said. “Against tougher competition, he held his own.”

Accelerate, who won the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Derby in September, has won 3 of 7. He also is owned by Hronis Racing. Sadler said options for him include the seven-furlong Malibu Stakes on Dec. 26, opening day of the Santa Anita winter meeting.

“It might be too short for him, otherwise, he’ll go in the two-turn dirt stakes,” Sadler said.