DEL MAR, Calif. — Accelerate cruised to a record 12 1/2-length victory in the $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar, becoming just the third horse to sweep all three of Southern California’s major races for older horses in the same year.
Ridden by Joel Rosario, Accelerate ran 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.83 at the seaside track north of San Diego on Saturday. The winning margin was the largest in the race’s 27-year history, bettering Game On Dude’s 8 1/2-length win in 2013.
Trained by John Sadler, Accelerate joined Lava Man in 2006 and Game On Dude in 2013 in sweeping the Santa Anita Handicap, Gold Cup and Pacific Classic.
Accelerate paid $2.80, $2.40 and $2.10 as the 2-5 favorite in the eight-horse field. The win price was the lowest in race history. The previous record was $3 by Gentleman in 1997.
Pavel returned $4.20 and $3.40. Prime Attraction was another 3 3/4 lengths back in third and paid $4.20 to show.
In other stakes:
– Fatale Bere won the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks for 3-year-old fillies by a neck over Ollie’s Candy.
Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, Fatale Bere ran 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:48.14 and paid $16, $6.80 and $5.20 at 7-1 odds for trainer Leonard Powell.
Ollie’s Candy returned $4.40 and $3.40, while Californiagoldrush paid $6.20 to show in the Grade 1 race.
– Fashion Business rallied around the final turn to win the $250,000 Del Mar Handicap by 5 1/4 lengths and earn an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf this fall.
Ridden by Flavien Prat, Fashion Business ran 1 3/8 miles on turf in 2:13.84 and paid $10.20, $5.80 and $4.20 at 4-1 odds.
Prat began serving a three-day suspension for careless riding on Friday, but racing rules allow him to ride in designated races, which include stakes, on Saturday and Sunday.
Ya Gotta Wanna returned $35 and $13.40, while Multiplier was another 1 1/4 lengths back in third and paid $4.60 to show.
Trained by Phil D’Amato, Fashion Business earned his first stakes victory in seven tries. The 4-year-old gelding, a son of Frankel, began his career in England.
Itsinthepost, the 5-2 wagering favorite, finished seventh and fell to 0-11 at Del Mar.