I subscribe to the same school of thought as pedigree gurus like Ken McLean, Alan Porter and Anne Peters when it comes to trying to concentrate the influence of the most effective foundation mares and families. My first job in the horse business (after hotwalker) was doing pedigree research for journalist and consultant Bill Oppenheim at Racing Update, so I learned to compile databases and the importance of recognizing patterns.  During that time, I also got to know Roger Lyons, who helped to build the CompuSire computer program for looking at hypothetical matings back to the sixth generation, which I still use.

Using those tools, skills, and nearly 40 years of my own research and experience, I'm able to work with my father (owner of Shortleaf Stable) in arranging our mare bookings each season. It's always a good idea to keep an open mind and look at all parts of a mare's pedigree to forecast what might work for her. You also want to incorporate some common sense regarding size, soundness, speed, stamina and keeping your long-term goals in mind, including staying within a realistic budget. Shortleaf races all of the stock that we breed, so we have a ceiling on what we're willing to spend on each stud fee, since we'd like to see the resulting foal earn back as much of our investment as it can.

PANGBURN (m, 11, Congrats—It's True Love, by Yes It's True), booked to Good Magic

We raced this mare after purchasing her as a yearling. She's a big mare, but was precocious and a very sound racehorse, placing in several graded stakes. She has been a good match for Hard Spun (dam of SW Caddo River by him and a just-turned 2-year-old full-brother that is one of our top prospects), so we decided to send her to GOOD MAGIC, who is out of a mare by Hard Spun. Curlin (sire of Good Magic) has an outstanding record on the A.P. Indy cross, and I have concentrated on Hard Spun's blood with her because he carries Roberto and she carries Dixieland Band. When they are combined in pedigrees, you get linebreeding to full-sisters, and I have seen that combination work with great success for decades. It just keeps working.

BENNER ISLAND (m, 9, Speightstown—Spacy Tracy, by Awesome Again), booked to Bolt d'Oro

This mare was another yearling sale purchase and was very fast and classy, winning a Grade II on Derby Day, sprinting. We like to send her to stallions that would logically add some stamina. The obvious choice would be Medaglia d'Oro, since he has nicked so well with Speightstown in pedigrees, but he's always been out of our price range. Since he was so popular at the sales and showed some good results with his first crop of runners, we elected to go with Medaglia d'Oro's son BOLT D'ORO, who is out of a mare by A.P. Indy, which should add some stamina genes as well. In addition, Bolt d'Oro is from the Sadler's Wells sire line and Benner Island carries Nureyev, so having those three or four brothers in a pedigree can't hurt, since they have combined so well.

REEF POINT (m, 10, Giant's Causeway—Dixie City, by Dixie Union), booked to Daredevil

Yet another yearling purchase, this mare didn't have much interest in being a racehorse, but she is from the family of Dehere, out of a Grade II winner, and by a leading broodmare sire, so we never hesitated in spending money on her stud fees. She is the dam of MGSW Bubble Rock (on turf), by More Than Ready. That was an easy mating to come up with given all of the success that More Than Ready has had in reinforcing the influence of Almahmoud through her grandsons Northern Dancer and Halo. There are numerous examples of combining stallions with inverted pedigrees, achieving “balanced” inbreeding/linebreeding through sons and daughters of the same ancestors. This is achieved when you cross Southern Halo (son of Halo, daughter of Northern Dancer) with Giant's Causeway (carries a son of Northern Dancer and a daughter of Halo). Since More Than Ready is no longer with use, a good choice for this mare was More Than Ready's son, DAREDEVIL. He's out of a mare by Forty Niner, who is in turn out of a mare by Tom Rolfe (a son of the notable mare Pocahontas). Giant's Causeway carries Tom Rolfe's half-brother Chieftain, and I have seen linebreeding to Pocahontas and the more general family of The Squaw II (Ack Ack, Sham, etc.) work on numerous occasions. 

HOLIDAY'S JEWEL (m, 14, Harlan's Holiday—Denali Red, by Crafty Prospector), booked to Twirling Candy

We bought this mare as a maiden at the Keeneland November Sale. She was a sound campaigner in New York (made 40 starts) and had plenty of stamina. She was another mare in a good position to take advantage of linebreeding to Almahmoud (Halo, Northern Dancer), so we sent her to More Than Ready several times and were rewarded with the GSP filly Caldee from that union. I recognized that she had some other interesting ancestors that made her a good match for Candy Ride's son TWIRLING CANDY, and we have been anxious for our breeding program to have more exposure to Candy Ride's growing influence, so we decided to go that direction with her. Twirling Candy was the choice because Harlan's Holiday is out of a mare by Triple Crown winner Affirmed and Twirling Candy traces to the dam of Affirmed, Won't Tell You (his fifth dam). Harlan's Holiday is also from the important Alanesian/Alablue family and Twirling Candy has three crosses of that family close up in his pedigree–via Ride the Rails and Cryptoclearance (sire and grandsire of Candy Ride), as well as Boldnesian (grandsire of Seattle Slew).

MERRY MITTENS (m, 13, Harperstown–Weatherfield, by Elusive Quality) booked to Plainsman

This mating is the very definition of “homebred.” We raced the sire Harperstown (SP son of Devil's Bag–Halo, from a mare by Northern Dancer) and stood him in Arkansas. We had a couple of full-sisters by Elusive Quality that we bred that were out of a daughter of our classic winner Pine Bluff (a son of Danzig–Northern Dancer, from a mare by Halo). We've had good luck reinforcing all of this Almahmoud blood (Halo, Northern Dancer) so we bred both of the Elusive Quality mares (with Pine Bluff) to Harperstown. From those unions, we got the very legit GSW Trace Creek (an allowance winner at Churchill and Keeneland) and this mare, an open allowance winner sprinting and the dam of Arkie-bred SW Sekani. She makes a lot of sense for our new stallion PLAINSMAN (a son of Flatter that won three graded stakes for us) since he needs some mares with speed and this mating results in linebreeding to three sets of full-siblings–Devil's Bag and his brother Saint Ballado, Hero's Honor and his sister Wild Applause, and Graustark and his brother His Majesty. We'll know in about four years if it was a good idea.

Interested in sharing your own mating plans? Email garyking@thetdn.com.

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“He's by Flatter, who has not only been a great sire, but is also the sire of Upstart, who is a leading young sire himself,” Buck Pond's Doug Arnold told TDN. “He had incredible speed. He ran 1:33 and change two different times and he's extremely good looking. He looks like his daddy.”

Bred in Kentucky by Joseph Minor, owned by Shortleaf Stable, Inc. and trained by Brad Cox, the $350,000 KEEESEP yearling retires with a record of 32-9-7-6 and earnings of $1,408,412. Produced by a half-sister to MGSW Southdale (Street Cry {Ire}), Plainsman is a half-brother to GSP Liam (Liam's Map).

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Drawn two in a field reduced to seven by the early scratching of Thomas Shelby (Curlin), Last Samurai had good speed from the inside and shared the lead with second choice Plainsman (Flatter) under the wire for the first time, as favored Fearless (Ghostzapper)–runner-up to the Horton part-owned Silver State (Hard Spun) last year–tracked the duo from out wide. Court, still thriving at the age of 61, took Last Samurai in hand as they turned up the backstretch, allowing Plainsman to edge to the front, but held his spot at the fence as the field reached the half-mile peg. Last Samurai appeared to be struggling three-eighths of a mile out, but–busily ridden by Court–was back into the bridle and on the attack inside of Plainsman, Fearless and 2021 GI Arkansas Derby hero Super Stock (Super Saver) on the swing for home. Vigorously ridden, Last Samurai began to get away at the furlong grounds and was punched out to score impressively. Fearless was up on the line to touch Plainsman out of second.

“He's been training really well,” said Court. “He's been fun to work with from the time the Hortons gave me the opportunity to work with Last Samurai. He's just been a joy in the mornings. As you may have noticed, I broke away from the pony because he's just so fun to ride in the morning. In the afternoon, he gives it his best effort and things set up perfectly for us and he was willing to take on the challenge. What a blast it certainly was.”

Fifth in last year's GIII Southwest S. and in the Arkansas Derby, Last Samurai took a Colonial turf allowance in August, but was only ninth in the Dueling Grounds Derby at Kentucky Downs the following month. The chestnut, a neck second facing his elders in the GIII Greenwood Cup over 12 furlongs Sept. 25, bested Super Stock in the Dec. 11 Poinsettia S. at this venue, but was seventh to Plainsman in the GIII Razorback H. Feb. 12 and a latest near-miss second to marathoner Lone Rock (Majestic Warrior) in this track's Temperence Hill S. going a mile and a half Apr. 3.

Pedigree Notes:

Already one of 129 worldwide black-type winners for the late Malibu Moon, Last Samurai becomes the 52nd to succeed at the graded or group level and is his 20th male to do so.

A stakes winner and third in the GII Molly Pitcher S., Lady Samuri was sold for $130,000 at the 2013 Keeneland November Sale, then was knocked down to Stonestreet for $280,000 in foal to Union Rags at KEENOV the following fall. The mare is the dam of four winners from as many to the races, a number that also includes Candy Raid (Candy Ride {Arg}), who upset the Apr. 2 Bourbonette Oaks and worked Saturday towards an expected appearance in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks May 6 (see related story).

A $37,000 KEESEP buyback turned $175,000 OBS March breezer (:10 1/5), Last Samurai has a 2-year-old half-sister by Good Magic. After being given a year off, she foaled a filly by Maclean's Music Mar. 20.

Saturday, Oaklawn Park
OAKLAWN H.-GII, $1,000,000, Oaklawn, 4-23, 4yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:49.32, ft.
1–LAST SAMURAI, 117, c, 4, by Malibu Moon
1st Dam: Lady Samuri (SW & GSP, $150,553), by First Samurai
2nd Dam: Redeye Rain, by Instrument Landing
3rd Dam: Palms and Rain, by Giacometti
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($37,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP; $175,000 2yo '20 OBSMAR). O-Willis Horton Racing LLC; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Dallas Stewart; J-Jon Kenton Court. $600,000. Lifetime Record: 15-4-3-2, $946,744. *1/2 to Candy Raid (Candy Ride {Arg}), SW, $191,400. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Fearless, 121, g, 6, Ghostzapper–And Why Not, by Street Cry (Ire). ($725,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP; $120,000 RNA 4yo '20 FTKHRA; $205,000 5yo '21 FTKHRA). O-Repole Stable; B-Helen K. Groves Revocable Trust (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $200,000.
3–Plainsman, 121, h, 7, Flatter–S S Pinafore, by Street Sense.  ($350,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP). O-Shortleaf Stable, Inc.; B-Joseph Minor (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $100,000.
Margins: 4, NK, 2. Odds: 12.90, 1.20, 2.40.
Also Ran: Super Stock, Beau Luminarie, Idol, Rated R Superstar. Scratched: Thomas Shelby.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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At the break, Pipeline was the fastest out of the gate, but Following Sea, who finished third behind Aloha West in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 6, took over the lead as they crossed onto the Aqueduct backstretch. Following Sea maintained his one-length lead until the stretch, when Ginobili made his bid for the lead, taking over briefly as they straightened out into the stretch.

Following Sea fought back, passing Ginobili inside the final eighth of a mile as Plainsman and American Revolution made contact briefly as they made their bids for the front in the stretch. Americanrevolution dug in and took over the lead inside the last sixteenth of a mile, finishing a half-length in front of Following Sea. Plainsman was third, with Olympiad fourth. The inquiry sign went up after the race as stewards looked into contact between Plainsman and Americanrevolution in the stretch, but the results were allowed to stand.

The final time for the one-mile G1 stakes was 1:36.68. Find this race's chart here.

Americanrevolution paid $7.50, $4.10, and $3.30. Following Sea paid $5.10 and $4.10. Plainsman paid $5.60.

“Luis [Saez] rode him terrifically. He kept him going in the turn when he was in traffic and things were getting tight. He responded to an energetic ride. He never gave up on him and I think that was important, especially backing up from the mile and an eighth. He never wanted to take his foot off the peddle. He kept coming and we knew he'd be fit backing up in distance,” trainer Todd Pletcher said after the race.

“We weren't 100 percent positive about the mile, but a lot of times good horses do multiple things really well and I think he's a great example of that. Constitution puts so much determination into his offspring and they're just like he was – very tough horses and versatile. It's great to see him get that Grade 1 win.”

“When he came around the three-eighths he was a little bit off the bit. I had to start riding him to get the momentum and at the top of the stretch, when he switched leads, he gave me that kick. After that, I knew I could win the race but I wasn't sure because I still had Following Sea in front of me and he was battling but in the end, Americanrevolution made his move and he got there,” jockey Luis Saez told the NYRA Press Office after the race.

“I feel like Manny [Franco, aboard Plainsman] tried to come out and he was trying to push me away and wanted my spot, but I was in my lane and it looked like the horse inside came out a little bit too and that's what made it look like that.”

Bred in Kentucky by Fred W. Hertrich III and John D. Fielding, Americanrevolution is out of the Super Saver mare Polly Freeze. He is owned by China Horse Club, Inc. and WinStar Farm LLC. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales, the son of Consitution was purchased by China Horse Club and Maverick Racing for $275,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Preferred New York Bred Yearling Sale. With his win in the G1 Cigar Mile, the 3-year-old colt has five wins in six starts in 2021 and career earnings of $944,535.

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With jockey Luis Saez aboard, Wondrwherecraigis was fastest out of the gate, going immediately to the lead with Wendell Fong in second and favorite Plainsman third. Around the far turn, Plainsman had to check in traffic, shuffled back to fifth, as Wondrwherecraigis maintained his lead over Continuation and Wendell Fong.

Into the stretch, Wondrwherecraigis powered through the slop to draw away and win by 2 1/4 lengths, completing the seven furlongs in 1:23.31 over the wet Belmont track. Plainsman took third while Drafted was fourth. Find this race's chart here.

Wondrwherecraigis paid $6.40, $3.70, and $2.60. Continuation paid $6.00 and $3.30. Plainsman paid $2.20.

“The seven furlongs was a question, but it's nice to find out he can do it. Luis [Saez] did a beautiful job. He jumped out of there and slowed it down the best he could and didn't take anything away from the horse either. He's sat on him so he knows he can get that drift, but that's just him. I don't know that he's necessarily getting late – in some of his other races, he's just had to go faster early. It's the race on the day and how it sets up,” trainer Brittany Russell said after the Bold Ruler.

“I took him away from the pony and when he was in his stall, he broke pretty well. He controlled the pace and when we came to the top of the stretch, I felt like I had a lot of horse to finish with and he responded really well,” jockey Luis Saez told the NYRA Press Office after the race. “He was handling it pretty well. The plan was to try to slow the pace early so everything went according to plan.”

Bred in Kentucky by Fleur de Lis Stables, Wondrwherecraigis is out of the Giant's Causeway mare Social Assassin. The gelding is owned by Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, Madaket Stables, and Michael J. Caruso. Wondrwherecraigis was a $210,000 RNA consigned by ELiTE at the 2020 Keeneland Horses of Racing Age Digital Sale. With his win in the G3 Bold Ruler, the 4-year-old gelding has four wins in six starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of 10-6-1-1 and career earnings of $347,640.

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The Bold Ruler headlines Sunday's card, which will also include two divisions of the $100,000 Pumpkin Pie at seven furlongs over Big Sandy for fillies and mares.

Due to significant rainfall from a coastal storm that impacted Long Island Tuesday and Wednesday, a trio of turf stakes initially slated for Sunday – the $150,000 Zagora, a 12-furlong test for fillies and mares; the $100,000 Chelsey Flower at 1 1/16-miles for juvenile fillies; and the $100,000 Awad at 1 1/16-miles for juveniles – have been re-scheduled for the following weekend.

The Awad will be brought back on Friday, November 5 for a stakes-laden card that will also feature the $100,000 Atlantic Beach at six-furlongs on turf for juveniles; the $150,000 Tempted at one-mile over Big Sandy for juvenile fillies; and the $200,000 Ticonderoga, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for state-bred fillies and mares which was re-scheduled from Saturday's Empire Showcase Day card.

The Chelsey Flower will be brought back on Saturday, November 6 for a bumper card that includes the Grade 3, $150,000 Turnback the Alarm Handicap at nine furlongs for fillies and mares; the $100,000 Stewart Manor at six furlongs on turf for juvenile fillies; and the $200,000 Mohawk, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for state-breds 3-years-old and up initially slated for Empire Showcase Day.

The Zagora will return for the Sunday, November 7 card – Closing Day of the Belmont fall meet – joining the Grade 3, $150,000 Nashua at one mile for juveniles.

Plainsman, trained by Brad Cox, captured the Grade 3 Discovery at Aqueduct during his sophomore campaign in 2018 over graded stakes winner Title Ready and Belmont Stakes runner-up Gronkowski. The 6-year-old Flatter bay arrives at the Bold Ruler off a sharp one length triumph in the Grade 3 Ack Ack on October 2 at Churchill Downs, recording a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure.

Sporting an accomplished ledger of 25-8-6-3 with a field-best bankroll of $729,207, Plainsman has won four of his last five starts all over different ovals. Following an allowance optional claiming score on April 15 at Oaklawn, he upped his game to stakes level with victories in the Jim Rasmussen on June 4 at Prairie Meadows and the Michael G. Schaefer Memorial five weeks later at Indiana Grand Race Course.

Plainsman boasts a record of 3-1-0-1 over Big Sandy, including an allowance score in September 2018.

“He's been doing great after the Ack Ack. He seems to like the track up at Belmont, so it made sense to ship him up for this spot that's a little easier,” Cox said. “We're taking things one race at a time, but he's been in great form this year and has always proven to be versatile.”

Carrying 123 pounds as the field high weight, Plainsman will break from post 3 under Joel Rosario.

Trainer Brittany Russell will saddle graded-stakes placed Wondrwherecraigis, who captured the restricted Tale of the Cat in August at Saratoga two starts back.

Owned by Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, Madaket Stables and Bethlehem Stables, Wondrwherecraigis crossed the wire first last out in the Grade 3 Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash on September 18 at Pimlico, but was disqualified to second-place for drifting out into Jalen Journey at the sixteenth-pole.

In addition to his Saratoga stakes victory, Wondrwherecraigis was a two-time allowance optional claiming winner this year at Pimlico.

“He's had a good year, especially winning at Saratoga,” Russell said. “Many of us could argue that he deserved to stay up in his last race. It was a bummer because the horse deserved a graded stakes win. Hopefully, this time around, he can show that he belongs in a graded stakes.”

Luis Saez, who piloted the 4-year-old Munnings gelding to victory in the Tale of the Cat, will be back aboard from post 7. He will carry 120 pounds.

Gold Square's Wendell Fong [118 pounds] arrives off a nearly seven-month respite while making his debut for trainer Chad Summers. The 5-year-old son of Flat Out was second in the Grade 3 Tom Fool on March 6 at Aqueduct where he made up considerable ground in the stretch to finish 3 ½ lengths behind winner Chateau. Wendell Fong was victorious in his 2021 commencement, capturing the Fire Plug on January 16 at Laurel Park.

Breaking from post 5, Wendell Fong will be ridden by Jose Lezcano.

Red Oak Stable homebred Bal Harbour [118 pounds] will attempt to overcome a 17-race losing streak for trainer Gregg Sacco. Although winless since capturing the Gio Ponti in November 2018 at Aqueduct, Bal Harbour has consistently made good showings at a high level the past few years, adding nine graded stakes placings since his last coup.

Manny Franco will ride Bal Harbour from post 2.

Completing the field are Lil Commissioner [post 1, Kendrick Carmouche, 117], Drafted [post 4, Dylan Davis, 116], Continuation [post 6, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 116], and Amatteroftime [post 8, Paco Lopez, 116].

The Bold Ruler honors the 1957 Horse of the Year and Champion 3-Year-Old, who captured 11 of his 16 starts that season, including the Wood Memorial, Flamingo, and Preakness Stakes. Bold Ruler built a larger legacy as a stallion and is still regarded as one of the most prolific sires of the modern North American thoroughbred. In addition to siring 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat, Bold Ruler went on to become a prolific sire-of-sires. American Classic winners such as Seattle Slew, Foolish Pleasure, Dust Commander, Cannonade, Spectacular Bid, Swale, Risen Star, A.P. Indy, Bernardini, Rags to Riches, Orb and Tonalist are all direct paternal descendants of Bold Ruler.

The Bold Ruler is slated as Race 7 on Sunday's nine-race card. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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Plainsman, a 6-year-old son of Flatter, ran one mile on a fast track in 1:33.85, which was just .07 off Pants On Fire's 2013 stakes record (1:33.78) and .59 off Fruit Ludt's 2014 track record (1:33.26).

Joel Rosario rode the winner for trainer Brad Cox, who swept the Saturday stakes at Churchill Downs. Two races earlier, Knicks Go won the G3 Lukas Classic.

For Rosario it was his fifth win on the day, which marked the 72nd time a jockey has accomplished that feat and the first since Florent Geroux won five races from nine mounts on Sept. 4, 2020. Rosario's nine mounts earned a hefty $603,170 on the day.

Atoka, with Mr Dumas in tow, led the field of nine older horses down the backstretch in the one-turn mile through fractions of :22.65, :45.21 and 1:09.15 with Plainsman sitting off the pace and in clear.

Leaving the turn after a three-wide move, Plainsman was in fifth behind the leaders and ducked inside to split Mr Dumas on the rail and Atoka on his outside. He grabbed the lead with an eighth of a mile to run and turned back favored Beau Liam, who made his stakes debut after winning his first three starts.

“I was able to sit a good trip for most of the race,” Rosario said. “I knew turning for home I'd have a decision to make whether to keep him inside or go out. I knew I had a lot of horse underneath me and the race developed well for him.”

The first prize was $178,800 and hiked Plainsman's bankroll to $729,207 with a record of 8-6-3 from 25 starts. It was his fourth career stakes win. Previously he won the 2018 G3 Discovery at age three and prevailed in the $50,000 Jim Rasmussen at Prairie Meadows and $85,000 Michael G. Schaefer Memorial at Indiana Grand earlier this year.

“This horse has been in great form this year,” Cox said. “I think two turns is probably his best distance, but today he was able to sit a good trip from off the pace at the one-turn mile. He showed a lot of adversity today and ran a good effort.”

Six of the last eight Ack Ack winners – Pants On Fire (2013), Tapiture (2015), Tom's Ready (2016), Awesome Slew (2017), Seeking the Soul (2018) and Mr. Money (2020) – used the race as a springboard to the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, which is scheduled for Nov. 6 at Del Mar with a $1 million purse. Cox non-comital to Plainsman's next start.

Plainsman paid $13.60, $3.80 and $3.20 at odds of 5-1. Beau Liam, ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., paid $2.60 and $2.40. Atoka was another 2 ¾ lengths back in third under Rafael Bejarano and paid $8 to show.

Rushie, South Bend, Mr Dumas, Guest Suite, Exculpatory and Mo Mosa completed the order of finish. Ebben and Aloha West were scratched.

Plainsman, out of the Street Sense mare S S Pinafore, was bred in Kentucky by Joseph Minor.

The race is named in honor of Cain Hoy Stable's 1971 Horse of the Year Ack Ack, who is enshrined in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. In his only Churchill Downs appearance, Ack Ack won the 1969 Derby Trial in 1:34.40 which was a track record for one mile that has since been eclipsed.

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Remington Park morning-line maker Jerry Shottenkirk has established Plainsman the 2-1 favorite for a competitive field of 10 horses top to bottom. The Governor's Cup will go as the eighth race on a nine-race card that begins at 7:07 p.m. next Friday. Post time for the 1-1/8th mile race on the dirt has been set for approximately 10:23 p.m.-central.

Plainsman, a 6-year-old by Flatter, out of the Street Sense mare S S Pinafore, is owned by Shortleaf Stable of Hot Springs, Ark. and he will be ridden by Francisco Arrieta. Arrieta took over the duties on Plainsman three races back at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, and has not lost on him since he was given a leg up by Cox. Plainsman won an allowance race on April 15 at Oaklawn, followed by victories in the $50,000 Jim Rasmussen, an overnight stakes at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa on June 4, and the $85,000 Michael G. Schaefer Stakes at Indiana Grand in Shelbyville, Ind. Arrieta has most recently been riding at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky. Plainsman's record is 23 starts, seven wins, five seconds and three starts for $515,407 in earnings.

Despite the win streak, Plainsman has been beaten by a couple of horses in this race, including defending champion Hunka Burning Love in the 2020 Jeffrey A. Hawk Memorial at Remington Park. Hunka Burning Love won the Governor's Cup last year by 6-1/2 lengths and has been made an 8-1 slight outsider to repeat because of his recent dull form. Trainer Karl Broberg sends out this 7-year-old gelded son of Into Mischief, out of the Thunder Gulch mare Touch of Fire, for owner End Zone Athletics of Mansfield, Tex. He will be ridden by Remington Park newcomer Reylu Gutierrez.

Hunka Burning Love has never lost in three tries around two turns at Remington Park. Three-time defending champion jockey David Cabrera has ridden him in two of those wins and Ramon Vazquez was aboard for the other. Both of them have other mounts in the Governor's Cup. Hunka Burning Love has had a third and two fourth-place finishes in his last three starts. He was fourth in the $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Tex. All of three of his recent losses came over a sloppy or muddy track, however.

Vazquez will ride Rated R Superstar, who was supplemented for $5,260 at time of entry by Remington Park's all-time leading owner Danny Caldwell of Poteau, Okla. (371 wins). The 8-year-old gelded son of Kodiak Kowboy, out of the Gold Case mare Wicked Wish, was made the 9-2 second choice in the morning-line in this spot. He is one of two millionaires in the field. Rated R Superstar, trained by Federico Villafranco, has earned $1,068,014 in 54 starts with eight wins. He finished a neck back of Plainsman in the Rasmussen, but hasn't won in stakes company the past two years.

The other millionaire is Tenfold, the top money-earner in the field with $1,179,745 in 25 starts. The 6-year-old by Curlin, out of the Tapit mare Temptress, appears to be the class of the field, having run against graded stakes horses in nine of his last 13 races.

Asmussen, the new all-time leading trainer by wins in racing, also has Tapit Wise representing the barn at 10-1 morning-line odds.

Another horse entered on a win streak is Guided Missile, going for his third straight win. At 8-1 odds, trainer Boyd Caster sends out this 4-year-old colt by Tapit from the Tiznow mare Pussyfoot. He has won two in a row in allowance events at Prairie Meadows.

This will be the 30th Governor's Cup at Remington Park, contested at 1-1/8 miles since 2011. The race was originally called the Remington Cup from 1988-1994. Asmussen has won the race six times (2007, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2017 and 2018) while Broberg has one win, last year with Hunka Burning Love.

Jockey David Cabrera is the lone rider in the field to have a score in the Governor's Cup, winning aboard Hunka Burning Love last year.

Here's a look at the field from inside to outside with jockey, trainer and morning line odds:

1. Tenfold, Stewart Elliott, Steve Asmussen, 5-1
2. Guided Missile, Curtis Kimes, Boyd Caster, 8-1
3. Trident Hit, David Cabrera, Ron Moquett, 6-1
4. Box Seat, Iram Diego, Boyd Caster, 20-1
5. Rated R Superstar, Ramon Vazquez, Federico Villafranco, 9-2
6. Baozun, Weston Hamilton, Juan Gomez Jr., 30-1
7. Plainsman, Francisco Arrieta, Brad Cox, 2-1
8. Popularity, Richard Eramia, Joe Offolter, 15-1
9. Tapit Wise, Leandro Goncalves, Steve Asmussen, 10-1
10. Hunka Burning Love, Reylu Gutierrez, Karl Broberg, 8-1

Tracked by more than 167,000 fans on Facebook and 10,400 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $269 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, in the heart of the Oklahoma City Adventure District, Remington Park features live and simulcast horse racing, and the casino is always open! The 2021 Thoroughbred Season begins Aug. 20. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.

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