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Concord Point sets Prairie Meadows track record

Posted: Sunday, June 27, 2010 12:10 AM

CONCORD POINT

Jack Coady/Coady Photography

by Mike Curry

Concord Point powered through the stretch at Prairie Meadows Racetrack to a track record-setting 8 1/2-length romp in the $250,000 Iowa Derby (G3) on Saturday night (video).

The three-year-old Tapit colt completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.37 on a track rated as fast to establish a track record for the distance, slicing nearly half of a second off the previous record of 1:40.82, set by Excessivepleasure on July 5, 2003.

Concord Point is trained by Racing Hall of Famer Bob Baffert for owner Kaleem Shah, who purchased him privately after a clear win in his career debut in December at Santa Anita Park. After a fourth-place finish in a six-furlong optional claiming race in February at Santa Anita, he bounced back with a clear win at 6½ furlongs in an April allowance race, also at Santa Anita. He subsequently finished second by a half-length in his stakes debut in the seven-furlong Lazaro Barrera Memorial Stakes (G3) on May 22 at Hollywood Park, but trying two turns and stretching out in the Iowa Derby proved the recipe for a breakthrough performance on Saturday.

The Iowa Derby marked the return of graded stakes winner Winslow Homer, who was sidelined for five months after the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) on January 23 with a stress fracture to the right front cannon bone, but Concord Point stole the show.

Forestry Type opened a clear early lead through a half-mile in :45.76 with Concord Point stalking from second and Winslow Homer tracking from about five lengths behind the top pair in third. Concord Point took over on the far turn under little urging from Martin Garcia and surged away from the fading pacesetter and Winslow Homer to post the dominant win and nail down his first stakes victory.

Bred in Kentucky by Lee McMillin and Ed Rudley, Concord Point is out of the winning Boston Harbor mare Havre de Grace.

Thiskyhasnolimit closed willingly to edge 3-to-2 favorite Winslow Homer by three-quarters of a length for second.

The Iowa Derby was one of three graded stakes on Saturday’s card, which was the second of two cards comprising Prairie Meadows’ Iowa Festival of Racing.

Also on the card, Shadowbdancing stalked the pace under Eusebio Razo Jr. and edged away in the stretch to prevail by a length in the $300,000 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G2) (video).

Sent off at 10.40-to-1 odds for trainer Terrel Gore, the five-year-old Montbrook horse posted his third stakes win this season and his fourth stakes victory at Prairie Meadows. RNB Racing’s Shadowbdancing completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.24 and improved to ten wins from 24 starts and earnings of $622,495.

Bred in Florida by Ocala Stud Farm, Shadowbdancing is out of the Deputy Minister mare Deputy’s Mistress and is a half brother to stakes winner Backatem.

Pacesetter Racing Bran held on to finish second, three-quarters of a length in front of Golden Yank. Multiple graded stakes winner Mythical Power finished fourth as the 3-to-2 favorite for Baffert. Grade 1 winner Brass Hat never fired and finished eighth in the nine-horse field.

Grade 2-placed Seeking the Title outfinished game stakes winner Harissa to win the $200,000 Iowa Oaks (G3) by a half-length and post her first stakes win (video).

The Seeking the Gold filly completed the 1 1/16-mile race for three-year-old fillies in 1:41.84 under Calvin Borel to improve to two wins in six starts for trainer Dallas Stewart and owner-breeder Charles Fipke.

Seeking the Title is the first starter produced by the Monarchos mare Title Seeker, a half sister to multiple Grade 1 winner My Flag, the dam of champion Storm Flag Flying and Grade 1 winners Miner’s Mark and Traditionally. Seeking the Title’s second dam is unbeaten champion Personal Ensign.

For Equibase charts, click here.

Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor