Kentucky Derby Maiden Watch: Accelerize, Zat’s the One shine

On March 5, 2022, an unraced colt named Taiba won his debut sprinting six furlongs at Santa Anita by 7 1/2 lengths. One month later he upset the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby (G1) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, qualifying to compete in the Kentucky Derby (G1) off only two career starts.

Can Accelerize follow a similar path to the Kentucky Derby? It’s not out of the question after the talented three-year-old stunned on debut in a seven-furlong maiden special weight at Tampa Bay Downs last Saturday.

Purchased for $400,000 as a yearling, Accelerize races for the partnership of Spendthrift Farm and Repole Stable. The dark bay or brown colt is a son of Omaha Beach, winner of the Arkansas Derby (G1), Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G1), and Malibu (G1) during an accomplished career. Omaha Beach was favored to win the 2019 Kentucky Derby, but scratched due to an entrapped epiglottis.

Accelerize has the potential to become Omaha Beach’s best son to date. He arrived at Tampa Bay Downs off a series of encouraging workouts at Palm Beach Downs and started as the 7-2 second choice in a 12-horse field. As it turns out, he should have been an odds-on favorite.

With five-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. in the saddle for trainer Anthony Sciametta Jr., Accelerize broke on top and assumed command through quick fractions of :21.87 and :45.03. His closest pursuers soon tired, but Accelerize kept going. He led by 2 1/2 lengths in midstretch and only widened his advantage from there, drawing off under a hand ride to dominate by 7 3/4 lengths in the fast time of 1:21.20.

Any way you slice it, this was a giant debut. Accelerize isn’t currently nominated to the Triple Crown, but for a fee of $6,000 due by April 7 he can be made a late nominee. Only time will tell what path his connections choose to forge, but the final round of top-tier Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifiers is still four weeks away, so there’s time for Accelerize to target a race like the April 5 Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct or the April 5 Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland.

The same goes for Zat’s the One, who graduated in his fifth start at Oaklawn Park last Saturday. He’s not a Triple Crown nominee, but there’s still time to join the scene if his connections so desire.

A son of hot young sire McKinzie, Zat’s the One showed potential in his first four starts sprinting against maiden special weight competition at Churchill Downs and Oaklawn. He finished second twice and fourth twice while facing some capable rivals, including Road to the Kentucky Derby points earner Patch Adams. Zat’s the One ran particularly well in a six-furlong maiden special weight on Jan. 25 at Oaklawn, finishing second against Dreaminblue, who won in the strong time of 1:11.11 over a slow-playing track.

Zat’s the One’s breakthrough victory came in his first start around two turns. Sent off at 17-10 while stretching out for a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight, Zat’s the One pressed fractions of :23.72, :48.52, and 1:13.10 in second place before taking over in the homestretch to score by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:44.93. Jockey Rafael Bejarano was aboard.

Owned by the partnership of Old Bones Racing Stable and Joey Platts, Zat’s the One is trained by Phil D’Amato, who saddled his first Kentucky Derby starter when Stronghold finished seventh in 2024. Zat’s the One hasn’t matured as fast as Stronghold, who placed in multiple graded stakes as a juvenile before winning the Sunland Park Derby (G3) and Santa Anita Derby on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

But Zat’s the One is progressing in the right direction and could potentially wheel back in three weeks for the March 29 Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn.

Top maiden winner of the week: Accelerize

Honorable mention: Zat’s the One