The West Point- $150.000 Purse
SAR- For Three Year Olds and Upward Foaled in NY
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Inner Turf
August 28, 2015

Three weeks ago, Performing Arts was asked to come from behind in the Grade 3 National Museum of Racing, and he made an admirable attempt to get the job done from off the pace.  It didn’t seem as though the West Point would have a lot of pace, and this is a primary reason why I was hesitant to make him one of my top picks for the race.   Blushing Meadows knew someone would have to go to the lead, and it is something that Performing Arts has done a few times before.  This would prove to be the key to victory for the Beauty King gelding, who picked up his third win in his last five starts.  Surely, the late Ludwig Van Beethoven (the equine version) who won the West Point twice would be thrilled with Performing Arts here.  It is the first win in the stake for both trainer and jockey.  Let’s take a deeper look at it!

1st- 4- Performing Arts (5/2)- Quickest out of the gate for Blushing Meadows, and set the opening quarter in :23.73 before promptly conceding the lead to Commercial Grade for the run around the first turn.   Once in second, he seemed content stay a couple lengths off the lead while staying in the second position with the leader in sight.   He began to make up ground in a very methodical manner over the course of the turn and into the stretch.  The pass for the lead was completed with about a furlong left in the race, and in that last furlong, there was absolutely no one better then him as he wins while pulling away at the end.  It was a nice victory for this gelding, and it was done in a time of 1:39.58.  That, my friends, is a new record for the West Point!  Performing Arts is a three year old gelding by Beauty King (Paymaster/Jolly Be Great) and out of the late Federal Sins, who had some good autogen bloodlines.    He was bred in New York by Blushing Meadows, the only owner in which he has ever known.

2nd- 5- Commercial Grade (5/2)- He didn’t quite set the opening fraction, but the Team 7 Illusions entry was also fast out of the gate and would be the one that led took them around the opening turn.  Opened up a little as the run completed around this turn, and would set the opening half in a time of :47.05.   Handled the backstretch in a graceful stride, and led them into the turn.  At this time, Performing Arts was starting to reel him back in.  He hung in there for a while, but once he was passed, he seemed to lose a lot of his fight, and was fortunate to hang on to the second position.

3rd- 6- Make A Decision (4/1)- J Velazquez made the decision to have the D J C Racing Stables entry far off the pace at the start.  He was last of them, and four lengths or so from his next closest competitor.  Began moving forward at the end of the backstretch run.  The jockey elected to swing the horse quite wide within the turn, and I’m not sure if that was quite necessary because the rail appeared open behind Commercial Grade.   The move that was made was an impressive one, and Make A Decision made a valiant bid.   All this could do, however, is have him be two lengths back at race end.

4th- 3- Dawn Ride (27/1)- The longest shot on the board from RNP Stables got off to a pretty good start as well, and was about a length to a length and a half back in the race’s early stages.  Appeared to show some interest in advancing in the backstretch, but either S X Bridgmohan restrained this, or the horse was hard to handle.   Stayed in the mix throughout the turn, but had nothing in the stretch for the leaders, or for the hard closing Make A Decision.  He was still better then the others and earns his trainer a little something.

5th- 1- Plucky Monster (9/1)- The Hanbletonian Stable entry had a rather average start, being last of the lead pack that consisted of everyone not named Make A Decision.  He wasn’t too bothered to make any challenges in the turn or in the backstretch, but stayed within striking range.  Unfortunately for the trainer, there was no response in the stretch, giving the horse a rather uneventful race, and a disappointing result.

6th- 2- Beav Barley (2/1)- The unexpected post-time favorite from Oval Express Farms (the trainer did better with huge longshots Friday instead) was midpack in the early portions of the race, a couple lengths from the leaders.  Appeared to struggle in the backstretch, and gradually dropped more and more out of it as the race progressed.

Track: Firm
Time: :23³  :47   1:10   1:39²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 4 – 5 Paid 13.70
$1 Trifecta: 4 – 5 – 6 Paid 62.50

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Ungraded