Accelerize proves too game for Just A Touch, Fair Grounds Photo
Fair Grounds Press
NEW ORLEANS – With just three races of experience, Spendthrift Farm and Repole Stable’s Accelerize wasted no time proving his class, denying odds-on favorite Just a Touch at the wire of the Grade 3 $250,000 Louisiana Stakes Presented by Hagyard on the Road to the Derby Day undercard at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
Exiting a first-level allowance win, the 4-year-old colt trained by Todd Pletcher beat seven older males and covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.43.
Under jockey Flavien Prat, Accelerize fought off Tarantino for the early lead and proved his heart down the stretch. After being headed by Just a Touch, Accelerize battled back to prevail by a neck at the wire. Cadet Corps ran third.
“On paper, it looked like there was a lot of speed,” Prat said. “But my horse came out of a shorter distance race and showed speed as well. So, I was wanting to break well and at least get him running to the turn, and we wound up on a lead. He has some fight in him. It’s a pretty bright future for him.”
Accelerize returned $19, $5.60 and $6.
The Omaha Beach colt improved his career record to 4-3-0-1 and boosted his lifetime bankroll to $154,480.
