Plainsman Makes Short Work of Discovery Stakes
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Plainsman wins the Discovery Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack
Plainsman made short work of a short field Nov. 24 when he won the $186,600 Discovery Stakes (G3) by 1 3/4 lengths at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Shortleaf Stable's 3-year-old Flatter colt had only Title Ready, Gronkowski, and Bon Raison to contend with in the 1 1/8-mile test, and those three followed him across the line in that order at the end.
After a sharp break, jockey Joel Rosario inherited the lead aboard Plainsman, while Bon Raison tracked a close second outside through an opening quarter in :24.53.
"There wasn't much speed. I thought I'd be either first or second, and then he broke sharp, so I just had to hold my spot," Rosario said.
Down the backstretch, Manny Franco made an early move with Title Ready. Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) runner-up Gronkowski followed suit under urging from Jose Ortiz, and the field bunched up briefly across the track. Bon Raison, sensing the pressure, surged forward and briefly put a head in front to mark the half-mile in 50.08. But Plainsman battled back and as Bon Raison faded through three-quarters in 1:14.25, the eventual winner opened a 2 1/2-length lead at the head of the stretch.
Plainsman maintained his advantage through a 1:38.92 mile en route to victory in a final time of 1:52.14 on a fast track. He returned $3.80 and $2.30 (there was no show wagering) as the 4-5 choice in the four-horse field, while Title Ready put in a mild bid to earn second. Gronkowski finished a half-length back in third, while Bon Raison brought up the rear, another 14 1/4 lengths back. Bai Harbour, Life's a Parlay, and Roaming Union were scratched.
"He's a pretty decent horse, and he tried really hard. He kept running on. He was still fighting at the end," Rosario said of the winner. "It looked like the longer it went, the more he wanted to do it. He did it pretty easy in the last part. He ran a big race."
Plainsman added to a fantastic weekend for trainer Brad Cox, who won the Nov. 23 Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (G1) with Leofric at Churchill Downs. Cox took over training duties of Plainsman from William Van Meter after the colt's eighth start, and sent him to finish third in allowance company Sept. 1 at Saratoga Race Course. After progressing with back-to-back allowance wins for Cox Sept. 27 and Nov. 3, the first at Belmont Park and the second at Aqueduct, the colt picked up his first graded stakes score in the Discovery, his second attempt in graded company. He finished sixth in the April 14 Arkansas Derby (G1) before his connections backed off and rested him until July.
"It was a great ride," assistant trainer Dustin Dugas said of Rosario's work. "Joel didn't panic when everybody came together at the half-mile pole. I got nervous, but thankfully Joel didn't, and it paid off for us. ... He's seemed to develop nicely for us, and certainly getting this stakes win is very nice for him and the owners."
Plainsman was bred in Kentucky by Joseph Minor, out of the Street Sense mare S S Pinafore, and was a $350,000 purchase by Shortleaf from Taylor Made Sales Agency's consignment to the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He improved his record to 4-3-2 from 12 starts, for earnings of $300,445.