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Art Master paints a winning picture in Poker Juddmonte Farms' homebred ART MASTER (Royal Academy) roared to the front in midstretch and strode clear to a 1 1/4-length score in the $112,600 Poker H. (G3) on Belmont Park's turf Saturday. The Bobby Frankel trainee broke well from his inside post and rated kindly in the early stages before putting in his dominant run while widest of all, stopping the timer in a swift 1:33 1/5 for the one-mile, firm turf contest. Piloted by Garrett Gomez, Art Master paid $8.30, $4.60 and $3.10 as the 3-1 second choice, and topped the $115 exacta, $421.50 trifecta and $3,511 superfecta (2-1-8-3). Woodlander (Forestry) was next to last after a half-mile but capitalized on the swift pace to record a strong inside rally, good enough to earn the place spot at nearly 18-1. The runner-up paid $13.60 and $7.60. Host (Chi) (Hussonet) had just one horse beaten in midstretch but found his stride late to garner third honors as the 5-2 choice. Show paid $2.80. Jet Propulsion (Double Honor), who led the field through fractions of :23 1/5, :46 1/5 and 1:09 for the opening six panels, was another half-length back in fourth and followed by Yate's Black Cat (Black Minnaloushe), Classic Campaign (Rahy), Gimme Credit (Artax), Leadwithyourchin (Dynaformer) and Carnera (Old Trieste). Electric Light (Silver Ghost) and Indian War Dance (Cherokee Run) were withdrawn. Art Master, a two-time Group 3 winner in France, improved his lifetime mark to 10-5-2-1, $254,997, which included wins in his first four starts. The lightly raced six-year-old was third in the Kelso Breeders' Cup H. (G2) three races prior. The winner was bred in Kentucky and is out of the multiple Grade 2-winning True Flare (Capote), who has produced Malibu S. (G1) victor Latent Heat (Maria's Mon), Vagrancy H. (G2) queen Indian Flare (Cherokee Run) and the stakes-placed Real Trust (Danzig). The mare is a half-sister to 2001 Shuvee H. (G2) victress Apple of Kent (Kris S.), 2003 Poker hero War Zone (Danzig) and Group 3 winner Set Alight (Hennessy), as well as a full sister to Group 3 victor Capital Secret (Capote). Art Master has an unraced juvenile half-brother named Eagle Strike (Storm Cat), an unnamed yearling half-brother by Empire Maker and a 2007 half-brother by Giant's Causeway.
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