Accelerate ($7) parlayed a perfect trip over a wet track he relished and scored a decisive five and one-half victory in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on Saturday at Santa Anita.

Accelerate, the favorite ridden by Victor Espinoza and trained by John Sadler, pressed the pace that was set by Mubtaahij, seized the lead at the quarter pole and pulled clear. Mubtaahij finished seven lengths clear of third-place finisher Fear the Cowboy. Giant Expectations ran well after stumbling at the start. He finished fourth,

The final time of the mile and one-quarter Big Cap was 2:01.83, run over a track listed “wet fast.”

Accelerate is the first Big Cap winner for Sadler. The 5-year-old son of Lookin at Lucky is owned by Hronis Racing. The win was his first Grade 1 victory, and sixth win from 17 starts.

Hoppertunity scratched at about 4:30, after rains arrived and the track condition changed from “fast” to “wet fast.” Trainer Bob Baffert said this week that Hoppertunity would run in the Dubai World Cup if he did not run in the Big Cap.