Twin Creeks Racing Stables' homebred Law Professor proved too classy for six ungraded stakes rivals and romped April 1 in the $125,000 Excelsior Stakes, a 1 1/8-mile race at Aqueduct Racetrack.
The 5-year-old Constitution gelding, third most recently behind next-out graded stakes winners Last Samurai and West Will Power in the Feb. 18 Razorback Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn Park, was a 4 1/4 length victor over pacesetter Keystone Field. Miles D was another four lengths back in third.
The victorious Rob Atras trainee, who chased the pace in third and later second in the early stages, was timed in 1:50.34 for the distance over a muddy track under Manny Franco. He paid $3 to win.
"He was just dragging me all the way to the quarter pole and when I asked him, he was there for me," Franco said.
Saturday's victory was the second of 2023 for Law Professor, who scored by 7 1/2 lengths in the Jan. 7 Queens County at Aqueduct. Earlier in his career, he won the off-the-turf Santa Anita Mathis Mile Stakes (G2) in 2021 for prior trainer Michael McCarthy and added the Tapit Stakes at Kentucky Downs last year for Atras.
"I think being back here definitely helped. He likes it here and seems to run his best races here," Atras said.
Law Professor earned $68,750 while improving his record to 6-2-2 in 16 starts.
