Art Collector

Art Collector began his career racing on the grass, running second in his debut before a breakthrough win in his second start Sept. 5, 2019, at Kentucky Downs. He made his stakes debut in the Grade 3 Bourbon Stakes in October and finished a nonthreatening seventh.

The Bernardini colt subsequently was shifted to the main track and two starts later closed out his 3-year-old season with a runaway 7 ½-length win on a sloppy track at Churchill Downs.

Transferred to Thomas Drury Jr. before his 3-year-old campaign, Art Collector posted back-to-back runaway victories at Churchill Downs in May and June 2020. He returned to stakes competition in the Grade 2 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes July 11 at Keeneland and put away multiple graded stakes-winning filly Swiss Skydiver in the stretch to post a convincing victory, earning 100 qualifying points for the delayed Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve.

Art Collector made his final prep before the Sept. 5 Derby in the Runhappy Ellis Park Derby on Aug. 9. He immediately went to the lead as the 2-5 favorite and rebuffed a challenge from Attachment Rate at the top of the stretch to win by 3 ¼ lengths. Art Collector earned 50 more qualifying points for the Derby and solidified his status as a leading contender in the run for the roses.  

Art Collector was forced to miss the Kentucky Derby after he sustained a minor injury to his left-front heel, but he recovered to compete in the Oct. 3 Preakness Stakes. After stalking the early pace, Art Collector finished evenly for fourth in what was the final jewel of the reconfigured 2020 Triple Crown. Art Collector closed out his 3-year-old season with an eighth-place finish in the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile Nov. 7 at Keeneland.

The Bernardini colt cut back to a seven-furlong sprint for his 4-year-old bow and ran sixth in the June 25 Kelly’s Landing Stakes at Churchill Downs. He regained his winning form with a front-running victory in the 1 1/8-mile Alydar Stakes Aug. 6 at Saratoga.

Art Collector returned to graded stakes competition as the 13-10 favorite for the $800,000 Charles Town Classic Aug. 27 and stalked pacesetter Sleepy Eyes Todd before putting away that opponent for a 1 ½-length win in the Grade 2 race. In his next start, Art Collector moved back up to the Grade 1 ranks in the $500,000 Woodward Stakes, which returned to Belmont Park for 2021 and was held around one turn at 1 1/8 miles. With Saez aboard again, Art Collector broke well and assumed the early lead, setting moderate fractions. He remained in front through Belmont’s sweeping turn and had plenty in reserve for the stretch run, holding Maxfield at bay by 1 ½ lengths to score his third consecutive victory.

Art Collector closed out his 4-year-old season with a sixth-place finish in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

Unplaced in the $20 million Saudi Cup to open his 5-year-old season, Art Collector subsequently was given an extended freshening and returned in Aug. 4, 2022, at Saratoga, where he won the Alydar Stakes by two lengths as the 4-5 favorite. He next set a pressured pace in the $1,000,440 Charles Town Classic on Aug. 26, but proved much the best in the stretch as the 1-2 favorite by powering clear to prevail by 4 1/4 lengths, securing a repeat victory.

Art Collector set the pace and faded to fifth in the Grade 2 Lukas Classic Stakes Oct. 1 at Churchill Downs and subsequently was given some time off as a freshening for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Baccarat Jan. 28, 2023. The time off did wonders for Art Collector as he tracked the pace through a half-mile in :47.71 and surged right past runner-up Defunded on his way to a runaway victory, completing the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.44.

Grade 1-placed stakes winner Distorted Legacy, by Distorted Humor, is the dam of Art Collector.