Favored Accelerate wins $201,035 Los Alamitos Derby

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. (AP) Accelerate won the $201,035 Los Alamitos Derby by a head Saturday, surviving a foul claim to earn his first graded stakes victory.

Ridden by Tyler Baze, Accelerate ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.48 and paid $3.80, $2.40 and $2.10 as the 9-10 favorite in the Grade 2 race.

Semper Fortis returned $2.80 and $2.20, while Blackjackcat was another 1 1/2 lengths back in third and paid $2.60 to show.

Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, aboard 5-2 second choice Blackjackcat, lodged a claim of foul for alleged interference in the stretch, but it was dismissed after a stewards' inquiry.

Accelerate drifted in slightly and Semper Fortis drifted out a bit inside the final furlong, but the stewards ruled it didn't cost Blackjackcat a better placing.

The victory, worth $120,000, increased Accelerate's career earnings to $236,880, with three wins in six starts for trainer John Sadler. It was Baze's third win on the card.