Nanda Dea finished fourth on the afternoon that Accelerize used to start turning heads

The Argentine mare finished nearly 6 lengths behind Medoro at Fair Grounds, where the son of Omaha Beach made headlines by winning the Louisiana Stakes (G3)

Accelerize opened his 2026 campaign with a victory that fuels expectations / FAIR GROUNDS

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (Special for Turf Diario).— With only 4 starts under his belt, Accelerize took on a challenge of multiple "firsts" and responded with authority. The son of Omaha Beach, defending the colors of Spendthrift Farm and Repole Stable, captured the Louisiana Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds, prevailing by a neck over a demanding 1,700 meters against older horses.

Under the guidance of Flavien Prat and the training of Todd Pletcher, the chestnut made his seasonal debut and his stakes debut, tackling the longest distance of his career without missing a beat. He took an early lead, settled along the rail, and despite setting sharp fractions, maintained his rhythm when challenged in the homestretch by the heavy favorite Just a Touch (Justify), who momentarily put a head in front before being turned away by the winner.

The clock stopped at 1m43s43/100 for the distance, following fractions of 23s93/100 and 47s14/100, confirming the solidity of the performance. For Pletcher, it was his first victory in the Louisiana Stakes, breaking a favorable streak for Brad Cox, who had won five of the recent editions with various representatives.

Bred by Spendthrift Farm, Accelerize was purchased for US$ 400,000 at the Keeneland September Sale and is beginning to emerge as a name to watch in the older horse division, with room for improvement and a competitive temperament.

The stakes-filled card at Fair Grounds also featured other protagonists. In the Colonel E. R. Bradley Stakes, the 7-year-old veteran Kupuna (Hard Spun) tasted stakes victory once again, closing decisively from the back of the pack to defeat the favorite Lagynos by 1 1/4 lengths, with Luis Sáez up for trainer Norm Casse.

Among the mares, Medoro (Honor Code), trained by Peter Eurton, confirmed her class by taking the Marie G. Krantz Memorial Stakes, closing strongly in the stretch to win by 3/4 of a length with José Ortiz in the irons. There, the Argentine Nanda Dea (Fortify) was not at her best, finishing fourth, 5 3/4 lengths back. While it was an improvement over her performance in the First Lady Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, it left the impression that returning to her peak form will be no easy task.

The highlight of the sprints came in the Duncan F. Kenner Stakes, where Usually Wrong (Lookin At Lucky), presented by Robertino Diodoro, delivered a crushing performance. He led from gate to wire and set a track recordfor 1,100 meters on the turf, stopping the clock in 1m1s63/100.

It was a complete afternoon at Fair Grounds, with names beginning to project forward and others confirming their status, as Accelerize took a firm step toward even more prominent stages.