For trainer John Sadler, time to regroup
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
DEL MAR, Calif. – November will be a rebuilding month for prominent California trainer John Sadler.
Last Friday, Sadler had two leading hopes in Breeders’ Cup races at Del Mar, but sustained disappointing results. Accelerate finished ninth of 10 at odds of 7-2 in the BC Dirt Mile. Stellar Wind was last of eight at 3-1 in the BC Distaff.
Stellar Wind raced on the inside and was as close as fourth on the turn before fading rapidly in the stretch. Sadler rued Stellar Wind’s position on the track, saying inside runners had a tougher time through the two days of Breeders’ Cup races.
“If you watch the races on Saturday, no one was winning on the rail,” Sadler said. “She coughed up dirt for 30 minutes after the race. It wasn’t the place to be.”
Owned by Pete and Kosta Hronis, Stellar Wind won 10 of 16 starts and earned $2,253,200. She was the champion 3-year-old filly of 2015, the year she finished second in the BC Distaff at Keeneland. Last year, Stellar Wind was fourth in the BC Distaff at Santa Anita.
Friday’s race was her fourth start of 2017 and first loss, preceded by three Grade 1 wins in the Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park, Beholder Mile at Santa Anita, and Clement Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar.
“She had a great career,” Sadler said.
Stellar Wind was scheduled to be sold at auction in Keeneland this week.
Accelerate raced wide throughout the Dirt Mile and was never closer than eighth. He emerged from the race with a setback and will undergo precautionary tests.
“He’s got a bruised foot in his left front,” Sadler said. “We’ll do some more diagnosis and give him a nuclear scan.”
Sadler said Sunday that his next stakes runner at Del Mar is likely to be Edwards Going Left in the $100,000 Cary Grant Stakes for California-breds at seven furlongs Nov. 19.
Edwards Going Left and Accelerate also are owned by the Hronis brothers.
A 3-year-old, Edwards Going Left has won 5 of 8 starts. He was third in the Real Good Deal Stakes for California-bred 3-year-olds here in August and sixth in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Oct. 7. Edwards Going Left won an optional claimer Oct. 22 at Santa Anita.
