Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
SANTA ANITA City of Light, Accelerate look sharp in drills
ARCADIA, Calif. – Accelerate and City of Light, likely the top two choices in the Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 26 at Gulfstream Park, both turned in sharp workouts at Santa Anita on Saturday morning that were the fastest for their respective distances.
They were part of an extremely frenetic morning that saw 301 horses record workouts. There was a storm forecast for Saturday night, and the possibility of workouts being canceled on Sunday made many go a day earlier than planned.
Accelerate, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic last time out, went six furlongs in 1:13.40, the fastest of 18 at the distance. City of Light, who won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, went five furlongs in 1:00, which equaled the fastest time of 102 at the distance.
They have been circling each other for quite some time. City of Light sent Accelerate to his only 2018 loss in the Oaklawn Handicap at the Pegasus distance of 1 1/8 miles, but Accelerate beat City of Light when they next met in the Gold Cup at Santa Anita going 1 1/4 miles.
The Pegasus, which would be their third meeting, is expected to be the final career start for both horses before going to stud. Both are scheduled for two more workouts prior to the race.
Accelerate is on the same schedule as he was prior to the Classic, working every Saturday morning just after the first renovation break with assistant trainer Juan Leyva aboard. He is scheduled to ship to Gulfstream after his final work.
“He’s been working great,” trainer John Sadler said. “The next work will be substantial, either seven furlongs or a good three-quarters in company with a strong gallop-out. That’ll be the biggest work of the series.”
City of Light is a brilliant work horse, and showed off again Saturday.
“More or less like last week,” said his trainer, Michael McCarthy. “He had a stronger gallop-out this time, which was by design. He was well within himself.”
McCarthy said City of Light will have his next work at Santa Anita, but has not decided if City of Light will remain at Santa Anita for his final work or head to Gulfstream on Jan. 16 and have his final work there.
Hollendorfer stakes horses work
Battle of Midway and Kanthaka were among the early morning workers for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, who has both targeted for races here at Santa Anita in the next month.
Both went a half-mile, with Battle of Midway timed in 49.40 seconds and Kanthaka in 48.60 seconds. Both last raced on Dec. 26, opening day of the meet.
Battle of Midway, who is exiting a second-place finish in the San Antonio, will make his next start in the Grade 2, $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes going 1 1/8 miles on Feb. 2. He will not go to the Pegasus, Hollendorfer said.
Kanthaka, who had a troubled trip in the Malibu when eighth, will go six furlongs in the Grade 2, $200,000 Palos Verdes Stakes on Jan. 19.
The unbeaten Instagrand, perhaps Hollendorfer’s top 3-year-old male, worked three furlongs in 37.20 seconds, his second work since returning to serious training following a layoff.
Vasilika, Hollendorfer’s best female grass runner, worked a half-mile in 48.80 seconds.
McKinzie, in his first work since winning the Malibu, went a half-mile in 48.80 seconds for trainer Bob Bafert.
Marley’s Freedom, who on Saturday morning was named as an Eclipse Award finalist for both older dirt female and female sprinter, worked a halfmile in 48.20 seconds, also for Baffert.
Two-time Grade 1 winner Paradise Woods worked five furlongs in 1:01 for new trainer John Shirreffs.
Pavel, back from a start in Japan, worked five furlongs in 1:01 for trainer Doug O’Neill.
In addition to Accelerate, Sadler worked the female sprinter Selcourt, who went five furlongs in 1:00, equaling the fastest time at the distance on Saturday. And he sent out Catapult, who is heading to the Pegasus Turf, for a six-furlong work in 1:14.