# Art Collector (horse)

Art Collector (February 11, 2017 – August 17, 2023) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2021 Woodward Stakes, the 2023 Pegasus World Cup and the Grade II Charles Town Classic twice. In a career spanning five seasons, he won or placed in seven graded stakes races.

## Racing career
### 2019: Two-year-old season

Art Collector won a maiden and allowance race as a 2-year-old for trainer Joe Sharp. Later Art Collector was disqualified for his allowance win after a positive swab.

### 2020: Three-year-old season

Racing as a three-year-old for trainer Thomas Drury Jr., Art Collector's win in the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes over eventual Preakness Stakes winning filly Swiss Skydiver earned him a berth in 2020 Kentucky Derby. Art Collector's Blue Grass victory was the colt's first graded stakes race and first graded stakes win for trainer Thomas Drury Jr. who has been training racehorses for thirty-eight years.
Art Collector then won the 2020 Ellis Park Derby before heading to the Kentucky Derby.
Made the second choice of the betting public behind Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes winner Tiz the Law, an injury during a workout kept Art Collector out of the Derby, and instead he aimed towards the Preakness Stakes, the third leg of the COVID-19 pandemic affected 2020 Triple Crown.
Art Collector came fourth in the 2020 Preakness Stakes, a nose behind the third-place finisher. The filly he defeated in the Bluegrass, Swiss Skydiver, won the Preakness by a neck over Kentucky Derby winner Authentic.
His next start was the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile on November 7, where he finished eighth behind the winner Knicks Go.
In the 2020 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, Art Collector was rated on 119, making him the equal 57th best racehorse in the world.

### 2021: Four-year-old season

Art Collector began his 4YO campaign in June at Churchill Downs in the Kelly's Landing Overnight Stakes as the 6/5 favorite with a lackluster performance after veering at the start and being bumped to finish sixth. Art Collector was transfer to trainer William I. Mott's barn in July.
On 6 August, Art Collector made amends winning the Listed Alydar Stakes at Saratoga as the 9/5 favorite with plenty in hand after leading by nearly 4 lengths to finish 1+1⁄2 lengths in front of Night Ops in a time of 1:48.20 for the 1+1⁄8 miles trip.
Three weeks later on 27 August, Art Collector traveled to West Virginia for the Grade II Charles Town Classic where he stalked leader Sleepy Eyes Todd and overtook him in the stretch run and comfortably won by 1+1⁄2 lengths in a time of 1:49.39.
On 2 October, Art Collector produced his best performance of his career defeating a strong field of six runners to capture his first Grade I event, the Woodward Stakes at Belmont Park.

### 2022: Five-year-old season

Art Collector was shipped in 2022 to compete in the Saudi Cup, but finished 12th in the 14-horse field. Following the trip to Saudi Arabia Art Collector raced three more times that year, winning the Alydar Stakes at Saratoga before returning to Charles Town to win his second straight Charles Town Classic. He completed the season with a sixth-place finish in the Lukas Classic Stakes.

### 2023: Six-year-old season

As a six-year-old Art Collector started three times, winning the Grade I Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park and finishing second in the New Orleans Classic Stakes and the Alysheba Stakes, both Grade II races.

## Death

In August 2023 Art Collector was in training at Saratoga Race Course to defend his title in the Charles Town Classic, but had developed laminitis. Trainer Bill Mott said that Art Collector was humanely euthanized on August 17 after the laminitis spread rapidly to all four feet over the course of three or four days. Owner Bruce Lunsford reminisced about Art Collector, saying he loved the horse and that he brought him the "highest high" when he won the Pegasus World Cup.

## Statistics

| Date | Distance | Race | Grade/ Group | Track | Odds | Field | Finish | Time | Winning (Losing) Margin | Weight | Jockey |
| 2019 – two-year-old season |||||||||||||
| Aug 16, 2019 | 5+1⁄2 furlongs | Maiden Special Weight | | Saratoga | 7.10 | 10 | 2 | 1:01.06 | (3 lengths) | 119 lbs. | John R. Velazquez |
| Sep 5, 2019 | 6+1⁄2 furlongs | Maiden Special Weight | | Kentucky Downs | 1.30 | 12 | 1 | 1:21.07 | 1+1⁄4 lengths | 120 lbs. | Adam Beschizza |
| Oct 6, 2019 | 1+1⁄16 miles | Bourbon Stakes | III | Keeneland | 7.30 | 14 | 7 | 1:43.06 | (5 lengths) | 118 lbs. | Luis Saez |
| Nov 9, 2019 | 6+1⁄2 furlongs | Allowance | | Churchill Downs | 3.00 | 9 | 6 | 1:17.62 | (4+1⁄2 lengths) | 122 lbs. | Brian Hernandez Jr. |
| Nov 30, 2019 | 6 furlongs | Allowance | | Churchill Downs | 3.60 | 7 | 7 | 1:10.39 | 7+1⁄2 lengths | 122 lbs. | Brian Hernandez Jr. |
| 2020 – three-year-old season ||||||||||||
| May 17, 2020 | 7 furlongs | Allowance | | Churchill Downs | 6.60 | 11 | 1 | 1:22.65 | 2+3⁄4 lengths | 118 lbs. | Brian Hernandez Jr. |
| Jun 13, 2020 | 1+1⁄16 miles | Allowance | | Churchill Downs | 1.40* | 4 | 1 | 1:41.35 | 6+1⁄2 lengths | 118 lbs. | Brian Hernandez Jr. |
| Jul 11, 2020 | 1+1⁄8 miles | Blue Grass Stakes | II | Keeneland | 2.30 | 13 | 1 | 1:48.11 | 3+1⁄2 lengths | 123 lbs. | Brian Hernandez Jr. |
| Aug 9, 2020 | 1+1⁄8 miles | Ellis Park Derby | Listed | Ellis Park | 0.40* | 12 | 1 | 1:48.02 | 3+1⁄4 lengths | 123 lbs. | Brian Hernandez Jr. |
| Oct 3, 2020 | 1+3⁄16 miles | Preakness Stakes | I | Pimlico | 2.40 | 11 | 4 | 1:53.28 | (10 lengths) | 126 lbs. | Brian Hernandez Jr. |
| Nov 7, 2020 | 1 mile | Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile | I | Keeneland | 4.90 | 12 | 8 | 1:33.85 | (9+1⁄4 lengths) | 123 lbs. | Brian Hernandez Jr. |
| 2021 – four-year-old season ||||||||||||
| Jun 25, 2021 | 7 furlongs | Kelly's Landing Overnight Stakes | | Churchill Downs | 1.20* | 9 | 6 | 1:21.25 | (5+3⁄4 lengths) | 123 lbs. | Brian Hernandez Jr. |
| Aug 6, 2021 | 1+1⁄8 miles | Alydar Stakes | Listed | Saratoga | 1.80* | 8 | 1 | 1:48.20 | 1+1⁄2 lengths | 124 lbs. | Luis Saez |
| Aug 27, 2021 | 1+1⁄8 miles | Charles Town Classic | II | Charles Town | 1.30* | 10 | 1 | 1:49.39 | 1+1⁄2 lengths | 118 lbs. | Luis Saez |
| Oct 2, 2021 | 1+1⁄8 miles | Woodward Stakes | I | Belmont Park | 2.75 | 6 | 1 | 1:49.22 | 1+1⁄2 lengths | 124 lbs. | Luis Saez |
| Nov 6, 2021 | 1+1⁄4 miles | Breeders' Cup Classic | I | Del Mar | 10.20 | 8 | 6 | 1:59.57 | (14+1⁄2 lengths) | 126 lbs. | Mike Smith |
| 2022 – five-year-old season ||||||||||||
| Feb 26, 2022 | 1,800 meters | Saudi Cup | I | King Abdulaziz | n/a | 14 | 12 | 1:50.52 | (20+1⁄4 lengths) | 126 lbs | Luis Saez |
| Aug 4, 2022 | 1+1⁄8 miles | Alydar Stakes | Listed | Saratoga | 0.80* | 5 | 1 | 1:51.84 | 2 lengths | 124 lbs | Luis Saez |
| Aug 26, 2022 | 1+1⁄8 miles | Charles Town Classic | II | Charles Town | 0.50* | 8 | 1 | 1:51.30 | 4+1⁄4 lengths | 118 lbs. | Luis Saez |
| Oct 1, 2022 | 1+1⁄8 miles | Lukas Classic Stakes | II | Churchill Downs | 2.59 | 6 | 5 | 1:49.77 | (6+1⁄2 lengths) | 125 lbs. | Luis Saez |
| 2023 – six-year-old season ||||||||||||
| Jan 29, 2023 | 1+1⁄8 miles | Pegasus World Cup | I | Gulfstream Park | 15.50 | 12 | 1 | 1:49.44 | 4+1⁄2 lengths | 123 lbs. | Junior Alvarado |
| Mar 25, 2023 | 1+1⁄8 miles | New Orleans Classic Stakes | II | Fair Grounds | 0.80* | 7 | 2 | 1:47.95 | (4+3⁄4 lengths) | 124 lbs. | Junior Alvarado |
| May 5, 2023 | 1+1⁄16 miles | Alysheba Stakes | II | Churchill Downs | 3.84 | 6 | 2 | 1:41.29 | (2 lengths) | 123 lbs. | Junior Alvarado |
Legend:
 Dirt  Turf
Notes:
An (*) asterisk after the odds means Art Collector was the post-time favorite.
* ↑ Art Collector was first past the post and wagering was paid out but was disqualified later after returning a positive swab and was placed seventh
* ↑ Wagering is not allowed in Saudi Arabia. In British wagering, Art Collector was 16/1

## Pedigree

Pedigree of Art Collector, bay colt, February 11, 2017 :
| Sire Bernardini | A.P. Indy | Seattle Slew | Bold Reasoning |
| Sire Bernardini | A.P. Indy | Seattle Slew | My Charmer |
| Sire Bernardini | A.P. Indy | Weekend Surprise | Secretariat |
| Sire Bernardini | A.P. Indy | Weekend Surprise | Lassie Dear |
| Sire Bernardini | Cara Rafaela | Quiet American | Fappiano |
| Sire Bernardini | Cara Rafaela | Quiet American | Demure |
| Sire Bernardini | Cara Rafaela | Old Fable | Spectacular Bid |
| Sire Bernardini | Cara Rafaela | Old Fable | Northern Fable |
| Dam Distorted Legacy | Distorted Humor | Forty Niner | Mr. Prospector |
| Dam Distorted Legacy | Distorted Humor | Forty Niner | File |
| Dam Distorted Legacy | Distorted Humor | Danzig's Beauty | Danzig |
| Dam Distorted Legacy | Distorted Humor | Danzig's Beauty | Sweetest Chant |
| Dam Distorted Legacy | Bunting | Private Account | Damascus |
| Dam Distorted Legacy | Bunting | Private Account | Numbered Account |
| Dam Distorted Legacy | Bunting | Flag Waver | Hoist The Flag |
| Dam Distorted Legacy | Bunting | Flag Waver | Bebopper (family: 11-g) |