Art Collector pulls away to repeat in Charles Town Classic

Art Collector swatted away undefeated Muad’dib and easily won the Grade 2, $1 million Charles Town Classic for the second year in a row.

Muad’dib had started his career 10 for 10, all his wins at Charles Town, but Art Collector now is 2 for 2 over the six-furlong oval, Luis Saez aboard, as he was a year ago, for trainer Bill Mott and owner-breeder Bruce Lunsford.

Muad’dib, taking a huge step up in class, ran with the winner through slow factions of 24.46 seconds and 48.70, but as Muad’dib came under pressure midway around the far turn, Art Collector was just galloping. His lead at the top of the short Charles Town homestretch was about 2 1/2 lengths, and Art Collector widened to the wire, winning by 4 1/4 lengths.

Muad’dib gamely hung in to finish a distant second, with Mind Control, the second choice, a valiant third after breaking very poorly and spotting Art Collector several lengths right out of the gate. Art Collector’s winning time for 1 1/8 miles on a fast track was 1:51.30, far slower than the 1:49.49 he clocked one year ago. Art Collector, a 4-year-old, is by Bernardini out of Distorted Legacy, by Distorted Humor.

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Art Collector was a capable 2-year-old and a good 3-year-old, winning the Blue Grass Stakes and finishing fourth in the 2020 Preakness. But he was far from fully formed as a sophomore, cross-firing (rapidly changing his leads) in the homestretch of several races and giving the impression he needed time to mature.

Turned over to Mott after one start in his 4-year-old campaign, Art Collector hit a new level in 2021, following his Charles Town Classic win with a victory in the Grade 1 Woodward. He ran poorly in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and even worse this past February in the Saudi Cup, but Art Collector got back on his game in the restricted Alydar Stakes at Saratoga last month and affirmed his Charles Town affinity with a thoroughly professional performance Friday night.