Art Collector planted his flag among the best in the older male division and earned his first Grade 1 victory on Saturday with a front-running triumph in the Woodward Stakes at Belmont Park.
The 4-year-old Bernardini colt was put on the lead early by jockey Luis Saez, challenged on the outside by longshot Mo Gotcha. Those two set an opening quarter-mile time of :24.02 seconds, tracked by a tightly bunched pack of Forza Di Oro, Code of Honor, and favorite Maxfield, with Dr Post trailing by several lengths.
Positions went relatively unchanged across the Belmont backstretch, with Art Collector going through a half-mile in :47.78 seconds, a half-length ahead of Mo Gotcha
Contenders behind the lead duo began to lodge their challenges as the field headed into the turn, led by Forza Di Oro on the outside, joined by Dr Post making his move from far back and far outside. Meanwhile, Maxfield approached from the inside, and moved just off the rail path to challenge Art Collector, as Mo Gotcha faded. Code of Honor also started to threaten from the inside path.
While many horses loomed, none of them were able to get close to Art Collector, who added to his two-length cushion at the top of the stretch under steady urging from Saez. After using the whip in the right hand, Saez flipped his crop to the left hand and flashed it at Art Collector repeatedly in the final eighth of a mile, helping him fend off any semblance of a challenge from his rivals and draw off to win the Woodward by 1 1/2 lengths over Maxfield. Dr. Post ran evenly down the stretch to finish a length behind Maxfield in third.
Art Collector completed the 1 1/8-mile race in 1:49.22 over a fast main track. He paid $7.50 to win as the field's second choice.
With the victory, Art Collector improved his lifetime record to eight wins in 15 starts for earnings of $1,535,305. He's been unbeaten in three starts since joining the barn of trainer Bill Mott earlier this year, also including victories in the listed Alydar Stakes at Saratoga and the G2 Charles Town Classic Stakes.
Art Collector races as a homebred for Bruce Lunsford, out of the Grade 1-placed stakes-winning Distorted Humor mare Distorted Legacy.
To view the full Equibase chart, click here.
Stakes Quotes Courtesy Of NYRA Press Office
Bill Mott, winning trainer of Art Collector (No. 3, $7.50) and fifth-place Forza Di Oro (No. 6): “Nice race, strong race. He's put three of them together. He's a nice horse. He's just done enough to beat his company. Each one probably got a little tougher. It was tougher today, but he handled it.
“He was in great shape. He had the winter off and he was a fresh horse. They ran him at Churchill once going seven-eighths. It was an odd race. He didn't have the greatest trip. When he came to me, he had a race under his belt and was ready to go. He's done well since we had him. With racing, I think he's gotten stronger and better and today is the result.
“He's been lucky. Luis [Saez] gets him away well and gets him in good position and that's important.”
On going from three turns in the Charles Town Classic to one turn in the Woodward: “He's a pretty smart horse. He has a great disposition because it didn't confuse him.”
On potential start in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic: “I'm not afraid. I'll talk to [owner] Mr. [Bruce] Lunsford. He makes the final decision, but I don't know what we have to lose. I'd run him a mile and a quarter. A mile and an eighth hasn't been a problem for him, so why would I cut him back?”
Luis Saez, winning jockey aboard Art Collector (No. 3): “It was a wonderful race. I had a lot of confidence in my horse. He always tries so hard. He always comes with a run and finishes with run and today he ran his race. We expected to be on the lead. He broke so well and he was able to control the pace. That was an exciting race.
On his confidence turning for home: “I felt pretty good. I felt like I had a lot of power and a lot of horse and when I asked, he took off.”
Brendan Walsh, trainer of runner-up and beaten-favorite Maxfield (No. 2): “I don't know that we had a lot of excuses. We had a good spot even if it was down inside a little bit. All credit to the winner. He ran a good race and he's a good horse. We ran a good race to be second. This horse doesn't let us down ever.
“I don't think [the blinkers] made a whole lot of a difference. They definitely weren't a negative in any way. Jose [Ortiz] said he ran a good race and found the gears he wanted him to find, but he just got outrun by a horse that was better on the day.”
On a potential start in the Breeders' Cup Classic: “He still hasn't done anything wrong. Every race is different and our day will come, too. I can't see why not.”
Jose Ortiz, jockey aboard runner-up Maxfield (No. 2): “I had a good trip. I followed the horse that won and was second best.”
Irad Ortiz, Jr. jockey aboard third-place Dr Post (No. 1): “He ran great. He did everything right, he just got beat by two nice horses.”
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