Art Collector Takes Heat, Keeps Going in Sharp Ellis Derby Score

[Wandering Eyes]

There was no easy ride for heavily-favored ART COLLECTOR (c, 3, Bernardini–Distorted Legacy, by Distorted Humor) in Sunday’s Runhappy Ellis Park Derby, as he was pressured hard on the front end throughout, but in the end it made little difference, as the streaking bay turned away all challengers to cement himself as one of the favorites for the GI Kentucky Derby in 27 days.

Breaking sharply at 2-5, Art Collector made the lead on his own power under Brian Hernandez, Jr. while being kept a bit off the rail heading into the clubhouse turn. Pushed along by 99-1 shot Truculent (Raison d’Etat) through a :23.33 quarter, he got no breather through a :46.74 half. Just as soon as he put aside the pace-pressing bomb, the Bruce Lunsford homebred was confronted with a two-pronged challenge from GIII Ohio Derby winner Dean Martini (Cairo Prince) and Attachment Rate (Hard Spun) as three-quarters went up in 1:10.70. The former was the first to sputter as the trio neared the lane, but Attachment Rate put in a game bid before being disposed of himself passing the furlong grounds. Without challengers for the final sixteenth, Hernandez rode Art Collector home with hands and heels, finishing three lengths to the good in 1:48.02. Attachment Rate was clear for the place.

A second-out graduate on the Kentucky Downs turf, Art Collector was off the board in his next two starts and ended up as one of several horses disqualified for trainer Joe Sharp due to a levamisole positive after dominating a Churchill optional claimer in his 2-year-old finale. Switched to trainer Tom Drury after that, he is undefeated as a sophomore under the new banner, capturing a pair of allowances this spring in Louisville before legitimizing those runs with a similarly sharp tally in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. July 11 at Keeneland.

RUNHAPPY ELLIS PARK DERBY, $193,750, Ellis, 8-9, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:48.02, ft.
1–ART COLLECTOR, 122, c, 3, 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
O/B-W. Bruce Lunsford (KY); T-Thomas Drury, Jr.; J-Brian
Joseph Hernandez, Jr. $115,905. Lifetime Record: 9-5-1-0,
$664,380.
2–Attachment Rate, 118, c, 3, Hard Spun–Aristra, by Afleet
Alex. ($100,000 Wlg ’17 KEENOV; $200,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP).
O-Jim Bakke & Gerald Isbister; B-C. Oliver Iselin (VA); T-Dale L.
Romans. $32,550.
3–Necker Island, 118, c, 3, Hard Spun–Jenny’s Rocket, by Mr.
Greeley. ($250,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP). O-Raymond Daniels &
Wayne Scherr; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY);
T-Chris A. Hartman. $18,775.
Margins: 3 1/4, 5 1/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 0.40, 14.40, 31.50.
Also Ran: Rowdy Yates, Shared Sense, Dean Martini, Winning Impression, Anneau d’Or, Sprawl, Trident Hit, Little Menace, Truculent. Scratched: Rogue Element. Click for the Equibase.com chart.

 

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