A Charles Town Classic Masterpiece for Art Collector
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Photo: Coady Photography
Luis Saez raises his hand in triumph after a victory from Art Collector in the Charles Town Classic at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races
Art Collector , down but not out last fall and this spring, is showing this summer why so many viewed him as an elite prospect as a 3-year-old last year.
Last year's Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) winner scored his second consecutive stakes victory of the summer Aug. 27 by taking the $800,000 Charles Town Classic (G2) at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races. The victory followed a triumph in the Alydar Stakes at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 6.
Friday night's race was a two-horse affair from start to finish, with defending champion Sleepy Eyes Todd carving out the pace with fractions of :23.80, :47.90, and 1:12.40 with Art Collector hot on his heels in the three-turn, 1 1/8-mile race. Art Collector poked a head in front after a mile 1:36.56 and inched away from the stubborn pacesetter in the final furlong to win by a length and a half. He stopped the clock in 1:49.39 under Luis Saez on a fast track.
An inside-stalking Rushie ran third and Restrainedvengence was fourth. Neither threatened the top two in the stretch.
"When I set (Art Collector) down, I knew he had a lot of ability to get there so that was an amazing feeling. An amazing race," said Saez.
"I thought I had him (Sleepy Eyes Todd) turning for home. He looked like he was going pretty well and that's why I tried to attack pretty early. Art Collector gave me that kick but he was fighting in the stretch. It was just a great finish."
Art Collector wins the Charles Town Classic at Charles Town
A homebred for Bruce Lunsford, Art Collector ($4.60) notched the fourth stakes win of his career, improving his overall record to seven wins from 14 starts. He has been in the care of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott this summer after being conditioned by Kentucky-based Tommy Drury last year and in a losing effort in his seasonal debut as a 4-year-old this spring.
In winning the Classic, Art Collector gave his Hall of Fame conditioner Bill Mott his first victory at the West Virginia oval.
Art Collector missed last September's Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) due to a minor injury before later finishing fourth in the Preakness Stakes (G1).
Bred in Kentucky, the son of Bernardini is out of the stakes-winning Distorted Humor mare Distorted Legacy , who also placed in the Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes (G1T). The dam has produced five foals, three unraced: Legionnaire, a 2-year-old colt by Into Mischief ; an unnamed Into Mischief yearling colt; and a Justify filly foaled this year.
Video: Charles Town Classic S. (G2)
A race earlier Friday night, Averill Racing and ATM Racing's R Adios Jersey captured the $400,000 Charles Town Oaks (G3) in front-running fashion under a hustling ride from Paco Lopez.
The Georgina Baxter trainee, perfect in four starts coming into the race but out of action since March, returned sharp. Taking charge early in the seven-furlong race with fractions of :22.24 and :46.27 while chased by Inject and favored Caramel Swirl , she repelled a rallying Pauline's Pearl in the stretch for a 3 1/4-length win. She was timed in 1:24.37, returning $12.80.
"Turning for home she started to get really tired," said Lopez. "She was running very hard all the time, that filly. But Georgina, the trainer, told me, 'Paco, that filly is ready.'"
R Adios Jersey wins the Charles Town Oaks at Charles Town
Pauline's Pearl finished a clear second followed by Allworthy in third and Caramel Swirl in fourth.
The Charles Town Oaks was her first graded stakes victory and second stakes triumph after taking the Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies at Tampa Bay Downs this spring.
A 3-year-old daughter of Adios Charlie , R Adios Jersey is out of the Montbrook mare Marion Theatre . Bred in Florida by Ocala Stud and J. Michael O'Farrell Jr., she is the lone stakes winner from eight foals from her dam and is related to four other winners. The dam's two unraced foals include a yearling colt by Greenpointcrusader and a filly by The Big Beast foaled this year.
R Adios Charlie was a $12,000 purchase by Averill Racing from the Ocala Stud consignment to the Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2020 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale.
On the wagering front, the $7,179,783 wagered on Friday night's Charles Town Classic card established a new single card handle record for the track, shattering the previous mark of $5,720,375 set on the 2019 Classic card.