Art Official, the only horse to defeat Somebeachsomewhere in his stellar career, was shut down last year after suffering a torn muscle in his left front leg. Trainer Joe Seekman has announced when the speedy son of Art Major will be making his return

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Seekman has told the Meadowlands Racetrack publicity department that he plans to bring Art Official back for the William R. Haughton Memorial eliminations on July 4 at the New Jersey oval.

“He’ll qualify in late June in Chicago,” said Seekman, whose stable is based in Centerville, Michigan. “He had a pulled muscle on the back side of his knee and took a solid four months off. Of course, it’ll be a transitional year for him [from three to four years old].

“People still talk to me about the Meadowlands Pace, and I think it’s a race we’ll never forget,” he continued. “It was a race of a lifetime for any horseman. Everybody would just love to be in it and race for a million dollars. It went so quick there wasn’t much time to think. We always knew the horse had a burst and Ron Pierce had confidence in him. When he popped back out on the final turn, I was impressed he still had some go left.”

(With files from the Meadowlands)