Art Collector Targets Kelly's Landing as Season Kickoff

Bruce Lunsford's 2020 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2)-winning homebred Art Collector  will target the $110,000 Kelly's Landing Overnight Stakes June 25 at Churchill Downs to begin his 4-year-old campaign, according to trainer Tommy Drury Jr.

Art Collector has been on the sidelines since running eighth in the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G2) Nov. 7 at Keeneland. The colt went to the farm in South Carolina following the Breeders' Cup but has been back on the work tab at Churchill Downs for the last four weeks. The five-time winning son of Bernardini   worked a half-mile in :50 3/5 on the turf June 13 with regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr. in the saddle. His three previous works were on the dirt, including a bullet five-furlong move in :59 2/5 June 4.

"He has some turf in his pedigree and actually broke his maiden on the grass. Today's work was just to keep our options open," Drury said. "We're going to target the seven-furlong Kelly's Landing on dirt as his comeback race and take things from there. We're very fortunate to have a horse like this in our barn. He's shown his talent last year and we're very excited for what's ahead this year."

The Kelly's Landing is run at seven furlongs on the main track and is open to horses aged 3 and up.