Art Collector | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Whole Package’ Art Collector Jumps To Fourth In NTRA Top 3-Year-Old Poll

The story of Art Collector in his first two starts of 2020 was one of quiet progression with the son Bernardini winning both efforts against allowance optional claiming company. In the aftermath of the colt's 3 ½-length victory in the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on July 11, Art Collector is anything but under the radar as evidenced by his climb up the ranks in the latest National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top 3-Year-Old Poll.

On the strength of earning his first career graded stakes triumph, Art Collector earned 242 points from voters to move into the No. 4 position on the poll after previously being ranked 28th. The Tom Drury, Jr. trainee is now unbeaten in three starts during his sophomore campaign after beginning his career on the turf during his juvenile season.

“He's very versatile, very classy. He's just the whole package,” said Drury, who celebrated the first graded stakes win of his career with Art Collector's Blue Grass triumph.

Art Collector was the only new presence in the top 10 of the Three-Year-Old Poll this week. Belmont Stakes winner Tiz the Law continues his hold on the lead position with 39 first-place votes and 399 points as he readies for an expected run in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes on August 8.

Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A. P. (1 first-place vote, 357 points) remains in second followed by graded-stakes winner Authentic (244 points), who is expected to be among the favorites for the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational on July 18.

Belmont Stakes runner-up Dr Post, who is also expected to contest the Haskell Invitational, sits fifth behind Art Collector with 180 points while King Guillermo (148 points) ranks sixth. Uncle Chuck, winner of the Grade 3 Los Alamitos Derby on July 4, is seventh with 118 points followed by Blue Grass Stakes runner-up Swiss Skydiver (110 points). Grade 1 Acorn Stakes winner Gamine (108 points) is ninth with Max Player (60) completing the top 10.

Champion Midnight Bisou, who returned to the worktab on Monday for the first time since her victory in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Stakes on June 27, spends yet another week atop the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll with 22 first-place votes and 369 points. Grade 1-winner Tom's d'Etat (9 first-place votes, 334 points) is second with Met Mile hero Vekoma (2 first-place votes, 294 points) holding down the third spot.

Monomoy Girl, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2018, jumped up to the fourth position with 1 first-place vote and 142 points in the wake of her victory in the Grade 2 Ruffian Stakes this past Saturday. Zulu Alpha (134 points) moves up to fifth on the heels of his win in the Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes followed by Mucho Gusto (133) and By My Standards (130).

Tiz the Law remains the lone sophomore in the Top Thoroughbred Poll with 2 first-place votes and 118 points to sit eighth while Code of Honor (1 first-place vote, 98 points) and Maximum Security (3 first-place votes, 95 points) complete the top 10.

The NTRA Top Thoroughbred polls are the sport's most comprehensive surveys of experts. Every week eligible journalists and broadcasters cast votes for their top 10 horses, with points awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. All horses that have raced in the U.S., are in training in the U.S., or are known to be pointing to a major event in the U.S. are eligible for the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. Voting in both the Top Three-Year-Old Poll and the Top Thoroughbred Poll is scheduled to be conducted through the conclusion of the Breeders' Cup in November.

The post ‘Whole Package’ Art Collector Jumps To Fourth In NTRA Top 3-Year-Old Poll appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

$63 Million Wagered During Five-Day Summer Meet At Keeneland

Keeneland successfully closed its unprecedented five-day Summer Meet on Sunday with all-sources wagering of more than $63 million at the Lexington, Ky., track. Driving robust wagering were top-quality race fields representing the nation's top stables and jockeys, and the enthusiastic support of fans who were watching and wagering remotely due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

All-sources wagering on the Summer Meet, held July 8-12, totaled $63,299,331. Average daily all-sources handle was $12,659,866.

Wagering was boosted by a single-day all-sources handle for the 10-race card on Toyota Blue Grass Day, Saturday, July 11, of $23,834,972, second only to the record $25,809,200 set for last year's 11-race Toyota Blue Grass Day card. The All-Stakes Pick Five on Saturday handled $1,395,051, well above the former record of $1,079,197 set on Toyota Blue Grass Day last year.

On-track handle, which includes wagering conducted at Keeneland and Red Mile, totaled $674,310, for an average daily on-track handle of $134,862.

“Horsemen and fans alike highly anticipated the Summer Meet, and their expectations were exceeded by the breathtaking level of racing we enjoyed here this week,” Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason said. “I can't express how much we missed our fans at Keeneland, and we thank them for their strong support from afar. This pandemic created a number of operational and logistical challenges for us to make this season a reality. I am so proud of the collaboration between state and local health officials, our horsemen, our corporate partners and our Keeneland team, all of whom worked tirelessly to create a safe environment on track and deliver such incredible racing.”

The Summer Meet was the first in Keeneland history and accommodated a portion of the 16-day Spring Meet that Keeneland canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Because of strict health and safety protocols, the Summer Meet was conducted without fans, who watched and wagered remotely via the track's Keeneland at Home Presented by Central Bank campaign. Each race day, Keeneland provided enhanced racing coverage streamed live through YouTube, Facebook and Twitter; a new pre-race show, “Keeneland at Home presented by Central Bank,” and complimentary digital race- day programs available on keeneland.com to download.

The Summer Meet featured 10 graded stakes worth $2,575,000 with four Grade 1 stakes, four Grade 2 races and two Grade 3 events. Keeneland paid total purses of $4,744,435, for average daily purse levels of $948,887. Starters per race averaged 9.4.

“We thank our horsemen for their support of the Summer Meet and for always bringing their 'A Game' to Keeneland,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing and Sales Bob Elliston said. “These stakes races are important targets on the racing calendar, representing significant income for horsemen and important black type for breeders. We appreciate the cooperation of Ellis Park and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission in helping us make this opportunity possible.”

Keeneland permitted a limited number of owners to be at the track on the day their horses raced.

“We particularly thank the owners that attended for their patience and adherence to the Healthy at Work protocols,” Keeneland Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Vince Gabbert said. “We know the race day did not look or feel like those you are used to enjoying at Keeneland. We appreciate your assistance as we navigate this unusual landscape.”

Summer Meet Highlights
The Summer Meet was headlined by Toyota Blue Grass Day on Saturday, when Keeneland presented six graded stakes anchored by the $600,000 Toyota Blue Grass (G2) and $400,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1), preps for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1), respectively; $350,000 Coolmore Jenny Wiley (G1) and $250,000 Madison (G1).

Among the Summer Meet highlights:

Art Collector roared past the filly Swiss Skydiver to win the Toyota Blue Grass and establish himself as a favorite for the $3 million Kentucky Derby to be run Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs.
Speech won the Central Bank Ashland to earn 100 points and move into second place on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with 160 points.
Rushing Fall successfully defended her title in the Coolmore Jenny Wiley to win her fifth Keeneland stakes, a total that trails only the record seven owned by Wise Dan. She becomes the third horse since 1976 to win Grade 1 stakes as age 2, 3, 4 and 5, joining Lady Eli and Beholder.
Guarana gamely fought back after being passed in midstretch by Mia Mischief to win the Madison and give trainer Chad Brown his 100^th Grade 1 victory.
2019 Preakness (G1) winner War of Will won the Maker's Mark Mile (G1) on July 10 to become a Grade 1 winner on both turf and dirt.

On Saturday, Keeneland hosted the first online Summer Handicapping Challenge, with 208 entrants paying the $3,000 entry fee and playing through XpressBet and TVG. Stephen Thompson won the event with a bankroll of $41,076 from a beginning stake of $2,000. Thompson takes home, in addition to his bankroll, $40,000 in prize money, a $10,000 Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge entry and a National Horseplayers Championship entry. In all, six players won BCBC spots and 10 players won NHC spots.

Summer Meet Leaders
The abbreviated meet did not dampen competition for leading owner, trainer and jockey titles.

Three owners tied for leading honors with two wins each: Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Larry Best's OXO Equine and Kirk Wycoff's Three Diamonds Farm. The Ramseys increased their record number of Keeneland titles to 22. Best earned his first leading owner title. Wycoff won the Kentucky Utilities Transylvania (G3) with Field Pass to secure his second leading owner title.

Wesley Ward and Ian Wilkes each recorded five wins to tie for leading trainer honors. It was the sixth Keeneland title for Ward, following titles in the Spring of 2019, 2018 (tie), 2017 and 2012 and in the Fall of 2012. It is the first Keeneland title for Wilkes, who won the Beaumont (G3) Presented by Keeneland Select with Four Graces.

Trainer Mike Maker swept both closing-day stakes, the TVG Elkhorn (G2) with Zulu Alpha and the Transylvania with Field Pass.

Tyler Gaffalione won the final race of the meet, the TVG Elkhorn, to secure his second Keeneland riding title. His first title came in the 2018 Fall Meet. Gaffalione accounted for two other stakes during the meet: the Maker's Mark Mile aboard War of Will and the Shakertown (G2) with Leinster.

Brian Hernandez Jr. finished second in the jockey standings with six wins. Hernandez won the Toyota Blue Grass with Art Collector.

The post $63 Million Wagered During Five-Day Summer Meet At Keeneland appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

‘Frozen Pizza And A Cold Beer’: Drury Celebrates Blue Grass Win In Style

Bruce Lunsford's homebred Bernardini colt Art Collector returned to his home base at Skylight Training Center in Goshen, Ky., on Saturday night following his 31/2-length victory under jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. in the $600,000 Toyota Blue Grass (G2) at Keeneland.

The victory gave trainer Tom Drury Jr. his first graded stakes triumph.

“It was a pretty special day,” Drury said Sunday morning, noting there was not much time for celebration. “You know how we horse trainers are. I had to get him back to Skylight last night and I had to be at Churchill Downs at 5:30 (this morning) for the first set. I wound up having a frozen pizza and a cold beer.”

With the Toyota Blue Grass victory, Art Collector picked up 100 qualifying points toward the $3 million Kentucky Derby (G1) to be run Sept. 5. That total is good for fourth place on the Derby leaderboard with only six points races remaining for the classic, which is limited to the top 20 point earners that pass the entry box.

“I am going to get with Bruce in the next couple of days and figure out what we will do,” Drury said about the eight weeks remaining before the Derby. “Art Collector will stay at Skylight for a little while because it is quieter there and then like we have done before, two weeks or so before he runs we will bring him back to Churchill.

“If we do anything, it likely would be Ellis (the Ellis Park Derby on Aug. 9).”

On Saturday evening, trainer Kenny McPeek tweeted that Peter Callahan's Toyota Blue Grass runner-up, Swiss Skydiver, “came back in good order. Very proud of her race today. We will likely point towards the Kentucky Oaks.”

The post ‘Frozen Pizza And A Cold Beer’: Drury Celebrates Blue Grass Win In Style appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Options Open for Art Collector

Bruce Lunsford’s GII Toyota Blue Grass S. winner Art Collector (Bernardini) returned to trainer Tom Drury’s Skylight Training Center base in Goshen, Kentucky Saturday night and options for the colt’s next start are still open.

“I am going to get with Bruce in the next couple of days and figure out what we will do,” Drury said. “Art Collector will stay at Skylight for a little while because it is quieter there and then like we have done before, two weeks or so before he runs we will bring him back to Churchill.”

With the Blue Grass victory, Art Collector picked up 100 qualifying points toward the Sept. 5 GI Kentucky Derby, good for fourth place on the Derby leader board with only six points races remaining.

“If we do anything [before the Derby], it likely would be Ellis [the Ellis Park Derby on Aug. 9],” Drury said.

Art Collector gave Drury his first graded stakes victory with his authoritative score at Keeneland Saturday, but the trainer didn’t have much time to celebrate.

“It was a pretty special day,” Drury said Sunday morning. “You know how we horse trainers are. I had to get him back to Skylight last night and I had to be at Churchill Downs at 5:30 [this morning] for the first set. I wound up having a frozen pizza and a cold beer.”

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stables’ Speech (Mr Speaker), along with stablemate and Blue Grass third-place finisher Rushie (Liam’s Map), is scheduled to ship back to California Monday following her victory in Saturday’s GI Central Bank Ashland S.

“Justin Curran was deputizing on my behalf and was very pleased with them this morning,” trainer Mike McCarthy said of the duo via text Sunday. “Most likely both will have a few works here at Del Mar before deciding on a Churchill Downs arrival date.”

Rushie is not Triple Crown nominated, and plans are uncertain for the colt, who has picked up 40 Kentucky Derby qualifying points for the Run for the Roses.

“Nothing is set in stone for Rushie,” McCarthy said. “There are plenty of options.”

The post Options Open for Art Collector appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post