Art Collector wires Alydar in first start for Mott
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- Art Collector got back to his winning ways, holding off Night Ops for a 1 1/2-length victory in the $120,000 Alydar Stakes on Friday evening at Saratoga. It was the colt's first start since moving north to trainer Bill Mott, and his first victory in almost a year, since taking the Ellis Park Park Derby on Aug. 9, 2020.
"I think we wanted to pick out a little bit of a softer spot to start out," Mott said. "I'm glad we were able to do that and get us and the horse off on the right foot."
Art Collector won his first four starts of 2020 for trainer Tommy Drury, including the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes -- over the eventual champion filly Swiss Skydiver -- and the Ellis Derby. A minor foot ailment forced him to miss the postponed Kentucky Derby in September, for which he would have been one of the favorites. Art Collector finished fourth in the Preakness Stakes in October, then was eighth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile to end the season.
Art Collector cut back in distance for his 2021 debut in June, finishing sixth in the Kelly's Landing Stakes going seven furlongs at Churchill Downs. Owner Bruce Lunsford, keen to run his homebred Bernardini colt in Saratoga, then elected to transfer Art Collector up to Mott. Lunsford is a longtime client of the Hall of Fame trainer, with runners such as graded stakes winner Vision and Verse, second in the 1999 Belmont Stakes.
"Both Tommy and I train for Bruce, and Bruce wanted the horse in Saratoga," Mott said. "Tommy sent him up to us, and he was in good shape when he came, and he's done well since he's been here."
The Alydar was restricted to older horses who had not yet won a stakes race in 2021, and those conditions allowed for a solid field with plenty of back class; Art Collector ($5.60) was sent away favored as one of four graded stakes winners in the eight-horse group. His task became much easier at the break, as multiple Grade 1-placed Jesus' Team was turning his head as the gates opened and, startled, leapt in the air, spotting the field several lengths. Meanwhile, Art Collector was hustled away by Luis Saez and settled into command in a comfortable rhythm, leading the way through opening fractions of 24.51 seconds for the quarter and 48.80 for the half, with Night Ops on his flank.
Night Ops, a graded stakes winner who had been third in the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup last out, turned up the pressure around the far turn. But when Saez let Art Collector out a notch, the colt easily extended his lead, kicking clear by 3 1/2 lengths in upper stretch. Art Collector maintained his lead to the wire, kept to task by Saez while running on the wrong lead through the final stages. Night Ops continued on willingly and ate into the margin late, but Art Collector easily held sway for the victory, finishing the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.20.
After Night Ops, it was 8 1/2 lengths back to Math Wizard, who edged Core Beliefs by a half-length for third. They were followed, in order, by Limonite, Prioritize, Bourbon War, and Jesus' Team.