GI Woodward S. | Horse Racing Free Tips

Art Collector Returns From Saudi To Win Second Straight Alydar S.

In just his second start of the year, Art Collector returned from a poor showing overseas to take his successfully defend his title in Saratoga's Alydar S.

Beaten home by all but two in the G1 Saudi Cup Feb. 22, last year's GI Woodward S. winner returned to the United States and took his time regaining the form that saw him win three straight races in 2021 for Bill Mott, each with Beyer Speed Figures over 100 before fading off the pace late to finish 14 1/2-lengths behind Knicks Go (Paynter) in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 6.

The heavy 4-5 favorite for Thursday's event, Art Collector strode forward to set the pace three wide outside of Bal Harbour (First Samurai) and Chess Chief before clearing that duo as they turned up the backstretch. Through an easy opening quarter in :24.60, Art Collector relaxed nicely on the front end and when Luis Saez looked over his shoulder going into the far turn, he saw Joel Rosario already hard at work on Masqueparade with no other real threat looming. Still under an easy hand ride down the lane, Art Collector cruised home to a two-length win with his ears pricked on the line.

“We thought maybe if the outside horse [Masqueparade] wanted to go to the lead, we'd let him go and we'd have a target,” said winning trainer Bill Mott. “But as it worked out, he was on the lead by himself. It looked like he was going easily enough and it looked like every time that horse [Masqueparade] ran to him, he just maintained the same advantage.”

Art Collector, whose 3-year-old half-brother Legionnaire (Into Mischief) broke his maiden July 16 at Ellis Park, is out of a GISP half-sister to Bruce Lunsford's MGISP and 1999 GI Belmont S. hero Vision and Verse (Storm Cat). Distored Legacy has an urnaced 2-year-old named Classic Legacy (Into Mischief), a yearling filly by Justify, and a weanling filly by Medaglia d'Oro. She was bred back to Gun Runner for the 2023 season. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

ALYDAR S., $130,950, Saratoga, 8-4, (C), 4yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:51.84, ft.
1–ART COLLECTOR, 124, h, 5, Bernardini–Distorted Legacy (SW
& GISP, $421,466), by Distorted Humor. O/B-W. Bruce
Lunsford (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Luis Saez. $74,250. Lifetime
Record: GISW, 18-9-1-0, $1,729,555.
2–Masqueparade, 124, c, 4, Upstart–Cry War Eagle, by
Any Given Saturday. ($100,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV; $180,000 Ylg
'19 KEESEP). O-FTGGG Racing; B-Brereton C. Jones (KY);
T-Albert M. Stall, Jr. $27,000.
3–Chess Chief, 124, h, 6, Into Mischief–Un Blessed, by
Mineshaft. ($145,000 RNA Ylg '17 FTSAUG). O-Estate of James
J. Coleman, Jr.; B-Morgan's Ford Farm (VA); T-Dallas Stewart.
$16,200.
Margins: 2, 7HF, NO. Odds: 0.80, 2.70, 29.25.
Also Ran: Mystic Night, Bal Harbour. Scratched: King Fury.

The post Art Collector Returns From Saudi To Win Second Straight Alydar S. appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Art Collector All the Way in Woodward

The controlling speed of Saturday's GI Woodward S. on paper, Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector (Bernardini) made best use of his best asset and took them gate-to-wire to earn an overdue Grade I victory. Favored Maxfield (Street Sense) completed the exacta, while Dr Post (Quality Road) flashed home from the tail to be third.

Looking to remain perfect in three starts since an amicable trainer switch from Tommy Drury to Bill Mott, Art Collector bounced beautifully from gate three and was soon in front for Luis Saez, as 64-1 Mo Gotcha (Uncle Mo) applied some token pressure with Forza di Oro (Speightstown) also prominent to the outside. Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}) and Maxfield also raced in close attendance in a tightly bunched pack, while Dr Post, who veered inward at the break, brought up the rear.

Art Collector lobbed them along through an opening four furlongs in a very manageable :47.78 and the Woodward was very much his race to lose after a three-quarter split of 1:12.12. Maxfield was nipping at the front-runner's heels as they hit the two-furlong pole, but Saez hadn't spent a penny on Art Collector, who kicked when asked for an effort and won with relative ease. Maxfield, arguably better when able to settle a bit farther back and finish up, was forced to race closer to the pace than is his custom and fought on bravely in an out-of-his-element performance. Dr Post came home on his incorrect lead to be third.

“It was a wonderful race,” said Saez. “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.”

Winner of the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. last July, Art Collector prepped for a possible start in the GI Kentucky Derby with a facile score in the Runhappy Ellis Park Derby early the following month, but was withdrawn from the Run For the Roses in the week leading up to the race with a minor foot issue. Fourth in the GI Preakness S. and eighth to Knicks Go (Paynter) in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, Art Collector was shelved, returning to be sixth in the June 25 Kelly's Landing S. at Churchill. Turned over to Mott thereafter, he wired the field in the Aug. 6 Alydar S. at Saratoga and was exiting a 1 1/2-length success in the GII Charles Town Classic Aug. 27.

A Breeders' Cup appearance would be in the Classic and not the Dirt Mile, Mott said.

“I'll talk to [owner] Mr. [Bruce] Lunsford. He makes the final decision, but I don't know what we have to lose,” the conditioner said. “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?”

Pedigree Notes:

Art Collector has legitimate claims to carry the torch going forward for the late Bernardini, who is now the sire of 16 Grade I/Group 1 winners worldwide, 13 of whom have accomplished the feat north of the equator. Distorted Humor is now the broodmare sire of 13 Grade I winners.

Art Collector is the lone winner from his stakes-winning and turf Grade I-placed dam, a half-sister to Lunsford's GSW/MGISP Vision and Verse (Storm Cat), runner-up in the 1999 GI Belmont S. and GI Travers S. Distorted Legacy is also a half-sister to Performing Diva (Storm Cat), third in the 2005 GII Darley Alcibiades S. and SP Broadway Express (Broad Brush), the dam of GSP Character Builder (Coronado's Quest).

Now 14, Distorted Legacy is the dam of the 2-year-old colt Legionnaire (Into Mischief), a yearling colt by the Spendthrift maestro and a filly foal by Justify. She was covered by Medaglia d'Oro this past breeding season.

Saturday, Belmont
WOODWARD S.-GI, $500,000, Belmont, 10-2, 3yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:49.22, ft.
1–ART COLLECTOR, 124, c, 4, by Bernardini
1st Dam: Distorted Legacy (SW & GISP, $421,466), by Distorted Humor
2nd Dam: Bunting, by Private Account
3rd Dam: Flag Waver, by Hoist the Flag
1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-W. Bruce Lunsford (KY); T-William I.
Mott; J-Luis Saez. $275,000. Lifetime Record: 15-8-1-0,
$1,535,305. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A+.
2–Maxfield, 124, c, 4, Street Sense–Velvety, by Bernardini.
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh. $100,000.
3–Dr Post, 124, c, 4, Quality Road–Mary Delaney, by Hennessy.
($200,000 Wlg '17 KEENOV; $400,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-St.
Elias Stable; B-Cloyce C Clark (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $60,000.
Margins: 1HF, 1, 2HF. Odds: 2.75, 0.90, 10.40.
Also Ran: Code of Honor, Forza Di Oro, Mo Gotcha. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Art Collector All the Way in Woodward appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Belmont Fall Stakes Schedule Released

The New York Racing Association, Inc. announced the stakes schedule for the 28-day fall meet at Belmont Park, which will include 20 graded stakes, including 47 stakes worth $11.15 million in purses. The fall meet, which will run from Thursday, Sept. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 31 will offer four Grade I races and five “Win and You're In” qualifiers to the Breeders' Cup in November at Del Mar. The first Breeders' Cup qualifier is the $1-million Jockey Club Derby for 3-year-olds going 1 1/2 miles on the turf Sept. 18. That card will also feature the GI Jockey Club Oaks and Grand Prix American Jockey Club Invitational.

The meet's first graded races will take place Sept. 25-26, headed by the GII Kelso H. and the GIII Athenia S. The following day will offer the GII Gallant Bloom S., with the undercard rounded out by the Bertram F. Bongard S. for New York-bred juveniles going seven furlongs.

Seven graded stakes make up the weekend of Oct. 2-3, highlighted by Saturday's GI Woodward S. and the GI Champagne S. affording a spot in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile to the winner. The undercard will feature the GII Miss Grillo S. and the GIII Belmont Turf Sprint. Grade I action continues on the following day with the GI Frizette S., Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' for the Juvenile Fillies. The day will also include the GII Pilgrim S. and GIII Fasig-Tipton Waya S.

The Saturday, Oct. 9 card includes the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, the GII Vosburgh S., a 'Win and You're In' event for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint and the GIII Matron S. The following afternoon will offer the fall meet's final Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint qualifier with the GIII Futurity S. in addition to the GII Beldame S. and GIII Knickerbocker S.

Closing weekend will offer eight stakes for New York-breds on Empire Showcase Day Oct. 30, led by the Empire Classic. A trio of $250,000 stakes includes the Empire Distaff, Sleepy Hollow S. and Maid of the Mist S. Also on tap are a pair of $200,000 contests in the Mohawk S. and Ticonderoga S., in addition to the $150,000 Iroquois S. and Hudson S. The meet will conclude with five stakes–the Zagora S., the Pumpkin Pie S., Awad S. and the Chelsey Flower S.

A trio of stakes have been added to the fall schedule–the $100,000 Glen Cove for sophomores fillies sprinting seven furlongs on the turf Oct. 15; the $100,000 Carle Place S., for 3-year-olds also going seven furlongs on the turf Oct. 22; and the $100,000 Oyster Bay S. for 3-year-olds and up going seven furlongs on the turf will be run Oct. 29.

For the complete Belmont Park fall meet stakes schedule, please visit www.NYRA.com/stakes.

The post Belmont Fall Stakes Schedule Released appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post