Law Professor Schools Queens County Rivals

Twin Creeks Racing Stables' homebred Law Professor  drew off to an impressive 7 1/2-length score Jan. 7 in the $150,000 Queens County Stakes, a 1 1/8-mile route for 4-year-olds and up at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Rob Atras and piloted by the red-hot Manny Franco, the graded-stakes winning son of Constitution   proved to be much the best in a race originally scheduled for a Dec. 31 Aqueduct card that was canceled due to heavy fog.

Law Professor entered from a pair of grade 1 starts, posting a gritty runner-up effort to multiple grade 1 winner Life Is Good   in the Oct. 1 Woodward Stakes (G1) ahead of a last-out fifth in the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland.

The emphatic score could propel Law Professor back to top-level company in the Jan. 28 Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park should the talented colt draw in as one of eight horses on the reserve list for the $3 million test.

"We were hoping this would be a race he could win and be a confidence builder because he had run against some real tough horses his last two," Atras said. "We'll have to see how he comes out of the race. It is a little quick back, but I wouldn't rule out anything."

Law Professor was bumped at the break Saturday but managed to settle comfortably in third position, while Sea Foam  marked the opening quarter-mile in :23.77 over a good main track, with Thomas Shelby  tracking second. Those two continued to duel down the backstretch through a half-mile in :47.79 and three-quarters in 1:12.56 as Franco waited to give an eager Law Professor his cue.

Law Professor was asked to pick up the leaders approaching the far turn and moved to the front by the five-sixteenths pole, then kicked on gamely under light urging from Franco and powered away to a comfortable score. he won under wraps in a final time of 1:51.

Naval Aviator  rallied to complete the exacta by three-quarters of a length over Thomas Shelby.

Eloquist  was scratched at the gate for precautionary reasons after getting his right hind leg caught in the gate, according to the New York Racing Association's senior examining veterinarian Dr. Sarah Hinchliffe.

Atras admitted to being a little nervous even as Law Professor took command.

"It's never over until it's over, but the way everything unfolded, it was a very professional victory," Atras said. "I wouldn't say we were expecting it, but the way he had been training, we were looking for this effort. I'm very glad we got it."

Franco equaled a NYRA record with six wins on a single card on Friday at Aqueuct and continued his winning ways on Saturday with Law Professor's effort marking the 28-year-old rider's fourth win on the card.

"I was able to stalk three-wide, and that was it. He was dragging me the whole way," Franco said. "I didn't want to move too soon. I knew I had a lot of horse under me. I just wanted to wait a little longer. The horse went on with it. I knew they would have to run fast to pass me. I knew how much horse I had."

Franco credited agent John Panagot as one of many reasons for his recent run of form.

"I can't believe it. I'm just grateful to be a part of these winning horses," Franco said. "Thank you to my agent. He's been doing a great job, and he's a part of it."

Law Professor started his career on the West Coast with conditioner Michael McCarthy, who captured the co-featured Jerome Stakes earlier on the card with Lugan Knight .

In December 2021, Law Professor won an off-the-turf edition of the Santa Anita Mathis Mile (G2) at Santa Anita Park ahead of three additional graded efforts for McCarthy, topped by a runner-up effort in last year's nine-furlong San Pasqual Stakes (G2) over the main track at the Southern California oval.

The versatile runner made his first start for Atras a winning one, taking the restricted Tapit Stakes over firm turf at Kentucky Downs in September ahead of his recent graded efforts.

Bred in Kentucky by his owner, Law Professor improved his earnings to $726,740 while improving his record to 5-2-1 from 14 starts. He returned $4.20 for a $2 win wager. 

Law Professor is the second foal out of the black type-winning Ghostzapper   mare Haunted Heroine , her second winner from two starters, and her first stakes winner. Her first foal, the Graydar   colt Limite Vertical, is a winner in Panama. Her most recent foal is an unnamed 2-year-old full sister to Law Professor. She was barren on a City of Light   cover in 2022 and was reported bred back to the Lane's End stallion for 2023.