As the sun sank lower over Churchill
Downs on November 3 and the fevered
build-up to the Breeders' Cup Classic tick-
led mercury-melting point, Kosta looked
up and had a little word with the invisible
soothsayer in the sky: "'Okay, I'm not mad.
If we're just going to get one Breeders'
Cup today, you know which one I want.' So,
I made a deal with the big guy."
For the Hronis brothers—and the Sadler
barn in general—much of that afternoon
had been a mixed bag of frustration and
disappointment. Sadler's Catapult ran
lights-out in the Breeders' Cup Mile, only
to find Expert Eye (GB) under an inspired
Frankie Dettori a half-length too good.
Earlier that afternoon, the Hronis-owned
Catalina Cruiser was a big disappointment
in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. Standing
at their shoulders, breathing down their
necks, was the Grim Reaper-like specter of
Sadler's 0-43 record in the Breeders' Cup.
It goes without saying the deal Kosta
made with the Almighty turned out to
be smartly negotiated. Under a perfect-
ly judged Joel Rosario ride, Accelerate
stormed to victory, bringing to a crescendo an
almost blemish-free year. One that didn't
come out of the blue, mind you. "You could
s e e t h e d i f fe r e n c e i n h i s a t t i t u d e a n d
THEY HAVE A SYSTEM
THAT WORKS—these guys
do everything right.
–JOHN SADLER
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