Bruce Lunsford's 3-year-old Art Collector, winner of Keeneland's Grade 2 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes in his last start, worked an easy half-mile in 49 seconds Saturday morning at Churchill Downs in preparation for the $200,000 Runhappy Ellis Park Derby on Aug. 9. Regular jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. was aboard.
Trainer Tommy Drury said by phone that he shipped Art Collector to Churchill Downs because the track at his Skylight Training Center base in Oldham County is being resurfaced. He said Art Collector will stay at Churchill Downs until shipping to Ellis Park the morning of the race.
“He's fit; we weren't looking for much today,” Drury said. “Just a little maintenance half-mile, let him stretch his legs a little. Brian said he couldn't have been happier, kind of had his ears thrown up. Just cruised along. I think Big John (Churchill clocker John Nichols) had him galloping out in 1:01 and change. It was really nice, just what I wanted. I think he got off the first eighth-mile in 13 (seconds) and just kind of picked it up from there. He's on the same schedule he's been on. He'll come back and work next Friday or Saturday and that should pretty much set us up for the race.”
“Everything was good,” Hernandez said. “Just a maintenance move, nice and smooth.”
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