Grade 1-Placed Plainsman Retired to Stud at Buck Pond

Shortleaf Stables' grade 1-placed, multiple grade 3 winner Plainsman   has been retired to stud at Buck Pond Farm, where he'll stand for $5,000.

The 7-year-old son of Flatter   won or placed in seven graded stakes ranging from a mile to 1 1/8 miles and compiled a 9-7-6 record from 32 starts and earned $1,408,412.

"He is a very good-looking horse, who looks like rising sire-of-sires Flatter," said Doug Arnold with Buck Pond. "He showed both speed and stamina, but he really thrived at a mile and many in the business believe milers make the best sires. He also has a good length of body and a lot of bone."

Plainsman, who Shortleaf's John Ed Anthony bought for $350,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, won his second career start early in his 3-year-old year and by the end of 2018 proved himself in graded company by taking the Discovery Stakes (G3) in near gate-to-wire fashion. He had abbreviated seasons at ages 4 and 5 but came roaring back at 6 when he won three stakes: the Michael G. Schaefer Memorial Stakes, Jim Rasmussen Stakes, and the one-mile Ack Ack Stakes (G3), which he won in 1:33.85.

Plainsman overcame a rough trip in the Cigar Mile Handicap Presented by NYRA Bets (G1), in which he got bumped late but held on for third and outperformed grade 1 winner Code of Honor   and future multiple grade 1 winner Olympiad  .

This year, Plainsman won his third graded stakes in the Razorback Handicap (G3) and placed in the Essex Handicap (G3) and Oaklawn Handicap (G2) all at Oaklawn Park.

Bred in Kentucky by Joseph Minor, Plainsman is out of the winning Street Sense mare S S Pinafore, who has produced four winners from six to race, including grade 3-placed winner Liam . The mare is a half sister to grade 2-placed, multiple grade 3 winner Southdale , who is a daughter of multiple graded-placed stakes winner Pinafore Park .

"Flatter traces back to La Troienne, and he has a good pedigree full of runners," Arnold said. "The horse will be strongly supported by Shortleaf, who are owner/breeders. With these kinds of horses, when you have owners that support them, then you have a chance. This horse will get every opportunity."

Flatter, a son of A.P. Indy, died at 23 back in May. He is the sire of grade 2 winner, millionaire, and rising sire Upstart  , and of champion and top 20 freshman sire West Coast  . He is the sire of 61 career black-type winners and one other champion in Avie's Flatter , Canada's champion 2-year-old colt of 2018 who went on to place in Canada's three classic stakes. Avie's Flatter is entering stud at Colebrook Farms Stallion Station in Ontario next year.

Plainsman is available for inspection at Buck Pond starting this week.