Art Collector jumps to top of older horse class with win in Pegasus

There weren’t many super-accomplished older horses left standing after a stirring 2022 horse racing season so when it came time for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup on Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida, there was no real favorite to win.

But then Art Collector dominated the field in the Pegasus with a 4 ½ -length win over the group of solid contenders and rushed to the top of the class of older horses.

Art Collector Shines At Pegasus World Cup

The Pegasus World Cup had no real star but had plenty of star power. Gone to the breeding shed was the sublime Flightline, who won all six of his lifetime races and stamped his immorality in the sport with uber-impressive wins in the Pacific Classic and Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Also on the shelf was Epicenter, who finished as the runner-up in both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes before winning the Jim Dandy and the Travers Stakes and was retired after an injury in the Classic.

Into the void steps Art Collector, a strapping 6-year-old horse who had had back-to-back victories in the 2021 and 2022 Charles Town Classic and his lone Grade 1 win prior to Saturday in the 2021 Woodward at Belmont Park.

Art Collector is owned and was bred by Bruce Lunsford, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott and was ridden to the win by Junior Alvarado. Art Collector completed the mile and 1/8 distance over a fast track in 1:49.44 while registering his 11th win in 21 career starts. He earned a 107 Beyer Speed Figure, which equals his career high from the Woodward, and added $1,680,000 to his bankroll, which is now north of $4 million.

Mott said he had to be patient with Art Collector after the horse came down with a foot abscess at the end of October. He said he knew Art Collector was doing well going into the Pegasus World Cup, his first start since a fifth-place finish in the Grade 2 Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs nearly four months earlier.

What’s Next For Art Collector?

There are no specific plans moving forward for Art Collector.

“We know he’s a horse who runs well fresh and we’ll work backwards from some of the bigger races that we’d like to run in from the course of the year,” said Mott. “We’re not going to be in a hurry to run him back.

“He’s had a good year already,” Mott added with a laugh. “Bruce came out this morning with his wife to visit at Payson Park and the subject of what to do next never even came up in the conversation. He was so thrilled about the outcome yesterday, I think he just wanted to enjoy it for a while.”

As will the horse racing world, as they wait for his next time on the track.