Concord Point gets his second consecutive Derby

Bob Baffert’s Concord Point was in control from start to finish to win the $750,000 West Virginia Derby (G2) by one length, giving Baffert his first win in Mountaineer Park’s premier race for 3-year-olds. Concord Point, a son of Tapit, was fresh off a track-record performance in the Iowa Derby (G3) last month.

The victory was the second in a major 3-year-old race in less than a week for the trainer-jockey team of Baffert and Martin Garcia, following the Aug. 1 triumph by Lookin At Lucky in the Haskell (G1) at Monmouth Park.
 
A 3-year-old gray or roan colt, Concord Point went off the 4-5 favorite despite the presence of Grade 2 winners Exhi (Lexington S.) and Skipshot (Swaps). Garcia took Concord Point went right to the front, with Exhi just off his flank through the first quarter mile in a sensible :23.59 seconds. Garcia had his mount well off the rail on the backstretch, with Exhi still the nearest pursuer. After six furlongs in 1:12.37, Concord Point still had a length advantage, a lead he maintained all the way to the wire. The final time for the 1 1/8-miles was 1:51.12.
 
Concord Point was bred in Kentucky by Lee McMillan and Ed Rudley, and was sold by Gainesway at the Keeneland September Sale for $220,000. Racing for Kaleem Shah–who purchased the colt privately after he broke his maiden by daylight at age 2-year-old–Concord Point has a record of 4-1-0 in 5 starts, for earnings of $669,260.

Shah said afterward he would talk to Baffert about the next race for Concord Point. He said the Travers Stakes (G1) on Aug. 28 is possible, but it’s Baffert’s call.