HENDERSON, Ky. — Blue Grass winner Art Collector led all the way in winning the $200,000 Ellis Park Derby by 3 1/4 lengths on Sunday, and earned 50 qualifying points for next month’s Kentucky Derby.
Ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., Art Collector ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.02 and paid $2.80, $2.20 and $2.10.
Attachment Rate returned $8 and $5.40 and earned 20 Derby points. Necker Island was another 2 1/2 lengths back in third and paid $8 to show. He earned 10 points. Rowdy Yates was fourth and earned five points.
Art Collector improved to 4-0 since joining trainer Tom Drury’s barn. The colt has 150 total points and is third on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard for the Sept. 5 race.
It was the first time in the track’s 98-year history that it hosted a Kentucky Derby qualifier. It did so as a result of changes to the qualifying races caused by the coronavirus.