Legionnaire to Take Steady March Up in Class

Legionnaire  now has matched his big brother Art Collector  as a 3-year-old winner at Ellis Park. But while Legionnaire captured a maiden race July 16, don't expect him to run back in the $200,000 Runhappy Ellis Park Derby Aug. 14.

That's the race future grade 1 winner Art Collector won in the COVID-19 season of 2020 when the Ellis Park Derby fell a month after he captured Keeneland's Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2). 

Art Collector was one of the favorites for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), delayed to early September that year, but was withdrawn on the morning of entries with a bruised foot. A month later, he finished fourth in the Preakness Stakes (G1).

Like Art Collector, Legionnaire is out of owner/breeder Bruce Lunsford's mare Distorted Legacy, a daughter of his foundation mare Bunting. Art Collector was sired by the late 3-year-old champion Bernardini  while Legionnaire is a son of the three-time leading general sire Into Mischief  .

Claiborne Farm, where Legionnaire was born and raised, liked the youngster so much that the fabled breeding operation in Paris, Ky., bought half-interest in the colt. But none of the team is interested in throwing Legionnaire into the deep end off of a single win on his third attempt.

"This horse looks like he's kind of ready to go if you just take your time with him," said Lunsford.

Art Collector won four straight races in 2020 with trainer Tommy Drury Jr., capped by the Blue Grass and Ellis Park Derby. Drury started him off as a 4-year-old before the decision was made to ship Art Collector to Bill Mott for a New York-based campaign and the goal of becoming a grade 1 winner, which was accomplished in Belmont Park's Woodward Stakes (G1) last fall.

Drury has had Legionnaire since he came in as a 2-year-old. The colt ran for the first time last Dec. 26 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, finishing ninth in a six-furlong race. He didn't run again until June 5 at Churchill Downs, finishing second when racing seven furlongs after getting banged around at the gate.

Learning from that race, Legionnaire scored a length victory Saturday at a mile in the mud at Ellis.

"I think that race the other day was just what the doctor ordered," Drury said.

Drury said an entry-level allowance race at 1 1/16 miles is a logical next step. Lunsford also is content to wait on the future.

"I think this horse is pretty good, by the way," Lunsford said in the understated parlance of horsemen.

Art Collector, meanwhile, is training at Saratoga. He worked five furlongs in 1:02.74 there July 16. He is unraced since finishing 12th in the Saudi Cup (G1) at King Abdulaziz Racecourse Feb. 26.