Twin Creeks Racing Stables’ Kentucky homebred, LAW PROFESSOR, made a triumphant return to New York to capture Saturday’s Excelsior S. at Aqueduct. Trained by Rob Atras, the 5-year-old Constitution gelding entered from a distant third-place finish in the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap on February 18 at Oaklawn Park that the victorious Last Samurai exited to win the Grade 3 Essex at the Hot Springs, Arkansas oval and saw runner-up West Will Power come back to win last Saturday’s Grade 2 New Orleans Classic at Fair Grounds.
Atras said Law Professor, who impressed with a 7 1/2-length score in the nine-furlong Queens County on January 7 in his seasonal debut here, had excelled in his training at Belmont Park and enjoys racing out of his own stall.
“I think being back here definitely helped. He likes it here and seems to run his best races here,” Atras said. “Even though we didn’t get the most ideal trip, Manny was able to work it out and he ran a big race. He trains well here. He can be a bit of a nervous horse and he was nice and settled in the paddock.”
Atras credited Franco, who was aboard for the Queens County score, with getting the sometimes temperamental Law Professor to rate.
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Past the Wire by Keith McCalmont
Photo by Chelsea Durand
