Art Collector repeats in Alydar Stakes; Charles Town Classic likely next
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Art Collector duplicated his front-running victory in last year’s Alydar Stakes with a similarly styled two-length score in Thursday’s renewal of the $135,000 Alydar at Saratoga.
Able to control the pace from the time the field hit the clubhouse turn, Art Collector, under Luis Saez, was able to set comfortable fractions and had plenty left with which to finish when Masqueparade, the main threat under Joel Rosario, tried to make a race of it late.
Masqueparade finished second by 7 1/2 lengths over Chess Chief, who nosed out Mystic Night for third. Bal Harbour was basically eased. King Fury scratched as trainer Ken McPeek felt the horse was a workout or two short from running.
Last year, Art Collector used the Alydar to propel himself to stakes victories in the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic and the Grade 1 Woodard. He ended his year with a sixth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
In his lone start this year, Art Collector finished 12th of 16 in the $20 million Saudi Cup, a result owing to his not handling the track’s surface, Mott said.
Delays in shipping back from Saudi Arabia cost Art Collector training time and Thursday’s race was his first since the Saudi Cup on Feb. 26. Mott said he had no issue running Art Collector 1 1/8 miles off the 159-day layoff.
“We knew how far the race was when we entered,” Mott said. “He does enough in his training, he’s not a big, fat horse. He’s nicely balanced and basically he’s easy to get ready.”
Breaking from post 4, Saez was able to get Art Collector to a measured length or 1 1/2-length advantage through a quarter in 24.40 seconds, a half-mile in 49.23, six furlongs in 1:13.77, a mile in 1:38.64. He covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.84 over a track rated fast despite mid-day showers. Art Collector returned $3.60 as the 4-5 favorite.
“He came from a layoff, we tried to slow the pace as much as we can and everything came so perfect,” said Saez, who won three races on Thursday’s card. “When [Masqueparade] came to me at the top of the stretch he just kept going.”
Art Collector, a son of Bernardini, improved his record to 9 wins from 18 starts for owner Bruce Lunsford.
Mott said the Grade 2, $1 million Charles Town Classic on Aug. 26 will likely be the next spot for Art Collector.
Al Stall Jr., the trainer of Masqueparade, said his horse was simply second best on Thursday. He too mentioned the Charles Town Classic or the Lukas Classic, typically run in late September at Churchill Downs, for his colt’s next race.