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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Now in its tenth running, the Houston Ladies Classic, at 1 1/16 miles on the main track, has been a springboard for top older fillies and mares The purse was boosted to $400,000 this year (from $300,000) in its previous editions and Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen will go for his third victory with Stonestreet Stable LLC's homebred Pauline's Pearl. The filly by Tapit out of the Dixie Union mare Hot Dixie Chick, drew post position three with Joel Rosario riding the 6-5 morning line favorite. He and Asmussen have teamed successfully of late; Rosario guided La Crete to victory in Saturday's Silverbulletday at Fair Grounds.

The victory by Pauline's Pearl would vault Asmussen into the record books as the only conditioner to win three editions of the Houston Ladies Classic. He won with Midnight Bisou in 2019, the remarkable champion who went on to capture five Grade 1 stakes, banking $7.4 million and was honored as 2019 Eclipse Award winning older female. He also captured 2020 Houston Ladies Classic with Lady Apple, a 5-year-old daughter of Curlin owned by Phoenix Thoroughbred III Ltd.

Pauline's Pearl will be making her 11th career start on Sunday. She made her debut at Fair Grounds last year before shipping to Oaklawn Park for the 2021 Honeybee on March 6. She finished second in that Grade 3 before triumphing in the G3, $600,000 Fantasy. The gray filly completed her 3-year-old campaign with a victory in the Zia Park Oaks on Nov. 23. Asmussen sent the Kentucky-bred filly back to Fair Grounds where she had a series of works in December and January before vanning to Houston last week. On Saturday, Jan. 22, she looked comfortable jogging on a fast main track under exercise rider Eulalio Rivera.

“She's a very nice filly,” said Asmussen. “We have had success with both Midnight Bisou and Lady Apple in this race and look forward to running Pauline's Pearl for Stonestreet Stables.”

The Mary Rose, bred and owned in Arkansas, by Shortleaf Stable, Inc, will ship to Houston from Oaklawn Park on Thursday, according to her trainer John Alexander Ortiz. He has conditioned the 5-year-old Macho Uno mare since last summer, with four on the board placings in five starts. She finished her 2021 season with an impressive seven-length score in a $50,000 allowance at Oaklawn Park on Dec. 31.

“The lightbulb turned on for me in her second race last August at Colonial Downs,” said Ortiz. “She pretty much sprinted. I wanted to see what she did going two turns and she blew the doors off in her last race.”

Jockey Reylu Gutierrez has the call and will break from the far outside post at odds of 3-1. The talented young rider will make his second appearance in the Houston Ladies Classic after riding Jeweled Princess last year for Kenny McPeek.

Shipping from Fair Grounds in New Orleans will be Lothenbach Stable's Inc's Audrey's Time who just won the $75,000 Joseph Spanky Broussard Stakes for trainer Neil Pessin. Corey Lanerie has the return call aboard the 5-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo. Trainer Michael Stidham has entered Velvet Crush, a 5-year-old Tapit mare bred in Kentucky by Calumet Farms and owned by Famousstyle Stables, LLC. Stakes placed at Monmouth Park and Belmont Park, she ran third to Audrey's Time at Fair Grounds last month. Current Sam Houston leading jockey Ry Eikleberry has the call and will break from the rail at odds of 8-1.

Trainer Scott Gelner who competed in last year's edition of the race with Shes Our Fastest for Norman Racing Stables, will saddle Becca's Rocket  for the same connections with Adam Beschizza in the irons. The 4-year-old daughter of Orb will be making her 16th career start. Golden Curl, owned by George A. Sharp, will ship in from Turfway Park. The 6-year-old Curlin mare is trained by Shawn H. Davis with Tyler Gafflione flying in from Gulfstream Park to ride. Champagne Affair will make her Sam Houston debut for owners L & G Racing Stable. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Daredevil will be ridden by Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez for trainer Cesar Govea.

The field for the Houston Ladies Classic, will run as the seventh race, with an approximate post time of 4:53 pm (CT). The field, from the rail, with jockeys and morning line odds:

Velvet Crush, Ry Eikleberry (8-1); Audrey's Time, Corey Lanerie (7-2); Pauline's Pearl, Joel Rosario (6-5); Becca's Rocket, Adam Beschizza, (10-1); Champagne Affair, Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez (30-1); Golden Curl, Tyler Gafflione (20-1) and The Mary Rose, Reylu Gutierrez (3-1).

Inaugurated in 2013, the Houston Ladies Classic was awarded its graded status by the American Graded Stakes Committee in 2016. It anchors the annual Houston Racing Festival, which also includes the G3, $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup, the $200,000 Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile, the $100,000 Pulse Power Turf Sprint, the $75,000 Jersey Lilly Turf Stakes and the $75,000 Stonerside Sprint.

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Trainer Brad Cox said he hopes that performance is something Caddo River can build on during his 4-year-old campaign at the 2021-'22 Oaklawn meeting. Caddo River was a promising Kentucky Derby prospect last winter in Hot Springs after consecutive gate-to-wire blowout victories at a mile, including a record-setting 10 ¼-length score in the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn.

After Caddo River was withdrawn from Kentucky Derby consideration because of a minor illness, Cox and breeder/owner John Ed Anthony of Hot Springs pulled the plug following the Hard Spun's colt sixth-place finish in the $400,000 Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) June 5 at Belmont Park.

Caddo River resurfaced in the 1-mile allowance race late last month and had an eventful trip under regular rider Florent Geroux. Caddo River was rank early and bottled up in fifth along the inside on the second turn. Swung five-wide turning for home, Caddo River ran down Atoka to win by a neck in 1:38.28 over a fast track. But following a claim of foul by Luis Contreras, the rider of Atoka, and a stewards' inquiry, Caddo River was disqualified and placed second for lugging in and bumping Atoka near the finish line, according to footnotes from the official race chart.

“Big race,” Cox said Thursday morning. “It was good to see him pass horses as opposed to going to the front and holding on. A talented horse. I thought it was an extremely good race off the layoff – passed some good horses. I think for him to be what we want him to be, a horse that can compete at the graded stake level, he's going to have to be able to pass horses and relax a little bit. He didn't relax as well as we would have liked to have seen him, but I think once he gets a couple of runs under him, hopefully, he'll figure out that he's going to have to shut it off early to have a little bit better closing kick.”

Although Caddo River has plenty of stakes experience – he also finished fifth in the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) and second in the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) last year at Oaklawn – Cox said another conditioned allowance “is probably the logical spot” for a second start off a long layoff.

“Trying to develop the horse and have a good winter with him and a good 2022, it probably makes the most sense,” Cox said.

Cox, Anthony and Caddo River's dam, Pangburn, nearly pulled off a double Dec. 19 at Oaklawn.

About an hour before Caddo River was disqualified from his victory, half-sibling Como Square, won an entry-level allowance sprint for 2-year-old fillies.

Como Square, by super sire Into Mischief, is unbeaten in two lifetime starts and probably headed to the $200,000 Martha Washington Stakes Jan. 29, Cox said. The 1 1/16-mile Martha Washington, which would mark Como Square's first start around two turns, is Oaklawn's first of three Kentucky Oaks points races.

“It's really the logical spot moving forward, trying to stretch her a little bit,” Cox said. “She's a half to Caddo, but she really doesn't look anything like him physically. She's real strong and stout, where he's got a lot more leg and looks like a two-turn horse, where she looks like she might be a little limited on distance.”

Pangburn, a daughter of Congrats, was an allowance winner in 2015 at Oaklawn for Anthony and trainer Kenny McPeek. Pangburn then finished third in the $150,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) and fourth in the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3). The Honeybee and Fantasy are Oaklawn's final two Kentucky Oaks points races.

Anthony boards Pangburn at famed Stone Farm in Kentucky. Pangburn also has a 2-year-old colt by champion Nyquist and is booked back to Hard Spun, said John Gasper, who is Anthony's racing manager.

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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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Trained by Brad Cox and piloted by Irad Ortiz, Jr., who captured his 3,000th career win here on Thursday, Bubble Rock entered from a dominant 3 1/4-length maiden score sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs over the Mellon turf on September 3 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Mystic Eyes, with Manny Franco up, broke alertly and led the field through a half-mile in :44.24 over the firm going with Makin My Move tracking her early foot from second position.

Bubble Rock, who settled outside rivals in third, advanced four-wide through the turn and gradually picked off Makin My Move before surging past a stubborn Mystic Eyes to secure the win in a final time of 1:08.01.

Gal in a Rush, who exited the outermost post 9 under Dylan Davis, saved ground in the early going before tipping out and rallying strongly down the lane to complete the exacta by a half-length over Mystic Eyes.

The victory marked the second Matron score for Ortiz, Jr., who captured last year's edition aboard Royal Approval.

“She's nice. Last time she won and finished well, too,” said Ortiz, Jr., who has piloted Bubble Rock in all three starts. “I just did the same thing today. I waited for my time to go and when I asked her, she finished up really strong again. She's got a really good size to her and she always finishes well, so I think she'll be alright.”

Dustin Dugas, the New York-based assistant for Cox, said Bubble Rock has matured over the course of her campaign.

“She's progressed a lot mentally,” Dugas said. “She's been a very nervous filly to work with and she's kind of taken some time. She's really progressed mentally and physically she's a very big, good-looking filly and moves great.”

Rounding out the order of finish were Makin My Move, The Club, Lady Danae, Dufresne, High Arabian, and Mainstay. Benbang was scratched along with the Wesley Ward-trained duo of Poppy Flower and Chi Town Lady, who are both slated to take on the boys in Sunday's Grade 3 Futurity.

Bubble Rock is out of the Giant's Causeway mare Reef Point, who is a half-sister to millionaire Blue Chipper – winner of the 2019 Group 1 Keeneland Korea Sprint in Seoul and third-place finisher in that year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

A Kentucky homebred, Bubble Rock banked $82,500 in victory while improving her record to 3-2-1-0. She paid $7 for a $2 win wager.

Live racing returns Sunday at Belmont Park with a nine-race card featuring the $250,000 Grade 2 Beldame for fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward going nine furlongs; the $150,000 Grade 3 Futurity for juveniles going six furlongs on the turf, a “Win And You're In” for the Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint; and the $150,000 Grade 3 Knickerbocker going nine furlongs on the turf for 3-year-olds and upward. 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.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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“She's progressed a lot mentally,” said trainer Brad Cox's assistant Dustin Dugas. “She's been a very nervous filly to work with and she's kind of taken some time. She's really progressed mentally and physically she's a very big, good-looking filly and moves great.”

“She's nice. Last time she won and finished well, too,” said winning rider Irad Ortiz. “I just did the same thing today. I waited for my time to go and when I asked her, she finished up really strong again. She's got a really good size to her and she always finishes well, so I think she'll be alright.”

Pedigree Notes:

Bubble Rock is the 96th graded winner and 211th black-type scorer for the timeless More Than Ready. The filly is also the 92nd graded victress and 170th black-type winner out of a daughter of the late, great Giant's Causeway. She is bred on the same More Than Ready/Giant's Causeway cross as MGISWs Verrazano and Say the Word. The winner's dam Reef Point's most recent produce is a yearling colt by Candy Ride (Arg). She aborted her 2021 foal and was bred to Twirling Candy this spring. Bubble Rock's second dam GSW Dixie City (Dixie Union) is also responsible for Korean champion sprinter Blue Chipper (Tiznow). This is also the family of MGSW & GISP young sire Unified (Candy Ride {Arg}).

Saturday, Belmont
MATRON S.-GIII, $150,000, Belmont, 10-9, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:08.01, fm.
1–BUBBLE ROCK, 120, f, 2, by More Than Ready
1st Dam: Reef Point, by Giant's Causeway
2nd Dam: Dixie City, by Dixie Union
3rd Dam: City Sister, by Carson City
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Shortleaf
Stable, Inc.; B-Shortleaf Stable (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Irad Ortiz,
Jr. $82,500. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $157,500. Werk Nick
   Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Gal in a Rush, 120, f, 2, Ghostzapper–Hudson River Gal, by
Dynaformer. ($130,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $375,000 2yo '21
OBSMAR). O-West Point Thoroughbreds, Chris Larsen and
Titletown Racing Stables; B-Tom & Mary Lou Teal & Adena
Springs (KY); T-Christophe Clement. $30,000.
3–Mystic Eyes, 120, f, 2, Maclean's Music–Cloudburst, by
Storm Cat. ($40,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-MeB Racing Stables LLC
and Vincent D. Esopi; B-Pursuit of Success LLC (KY); T-Todd A.
Pletcher. $18,000.
Margins: HF, HF, HF. Odds: 1.50, 29.75, 3.50.
Also Ran: Makin My Move, The Club, Lady Danae, Dufresne, High Arabian, Mainstay. Scratched: Benbang, Chi Town Lady, Poppy Flower.
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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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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“We noticed he was off his feed and took his temperature yesterday afternoon. It was slightly elevated,” trainer Brad Cox said. “It's just really bad timing being this close to the Derby. We drew blood on him [Sunday] morning and his white cell counts were a little high. We just can't run him on Saturday with being a little off his game.”

The defection of the GI Arkansas Derby runner-up will allow GII Remsen S. winner Brooklyn Strong (Wicked Strong) to enter the Derby field. The Mark Schwartz colorbearer, most recently fifth in the Apr. 3 GII Wood Memorial, is scheduled to work at Parx Monday morning for trainer Daniel Velazquez and could ship into Churchill Downs Tuesday morning if all goes well.

After sending his Derby quartet out to jog Sunday morning, trainer Todd Pletcher announced a Derby rider for Sainthood (Mshawish). The GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks runner-up will be ridden next Saturday by Corey Lanerie.

“We know how well Corey rides Churchill,” Pletcher said. “That was the key element in giving him the mount. We're thinking along the lines that we did with [2010 Derby winner] Super Saver and Calvin Borel. [Borel] rode this track so well and that earned him the mount then.”

Lanerie has ridden in the Derby four times with his best finish a runner-up effort aboard Lookin At Lee (Lookin at Lucky) in 2017.

Hronis Racing and Talla Racing's unbeaten GI Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World  (Candy Ride {Arg}) and Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing and Strauss Bros Racing's GII Louisiana Derby winner Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) arrived at Churchill Downs shortly after noon Sunday following a flight from Southern California.

Trainer Steve Asmussen sent out his GI Kentucky Oaks contenders to work under the Twin Spires Sunday. Stonestreet Stables' homebreds Pauline's Pearl (Tapit) and Clairiere (Curlin) completed their final Oaks preparations both working four furlongs over a “good” main track in a pair of maintenance solo drills.

GIII Fantasy S. Pauline's Pearl worked immediately after the track opened for Derby and Oaks horses at 7:30 and went in :50.60, with splits of :13 and :25.40 under exercise rider Wilson Fabian.

GII Rachel Alexandra S. winner Clairiere followed about a minute behind under Angel Garcia and went in :49.60, with splits of :11.80, :23.80, while galloping out in 1:03.40.

Pauline's Pearl was credited with the 22nd fastest time of 27 at the distance, while Clairiere was 10th fastest. Just over an hour later, Asmussen was beaming back Barn 38.

“We're ecstatic,” Asmussen said. “Pauline's Pearl went first and my first words to Wilson were 'How did she go?' and he said, 'Beautiful.' Both are regular riders of the horses so they are good measures and extremely familiar with them.”

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“The Blue Grass is what we have zeroed in on,” confirmed Cox. “He's done extremely well [since the Southwest]. We breezed him last Saturday [Mar. 13], and we clocked him at a half in :48.20, well in hand, and I'm excited about how he looked [5/84]. He galloped out in 1:01 and three, also well in hand.”

He added, “He'll go five-eighths at the Fair Grounds Saturday morning and then on to the Blue Grass.”

Earning TDN Rising Star status following an impressive debut winner at Churchill last September, Essential Quality added consecutive wins in Keeneland's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity in October and the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile back at the Lexington oval Nov. 6.

Also representing Cox on the Triple Crown trail are TDN Rising Star Mandaloun (Into Mischief), slated for Saturday's GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby, and Smarty Jones S. scorer Caddo River (Hard Spun), who most recently finished fifth behind dominant winner Concert Tour (Street Sense) in the GII Rebel S. at Oaklawn.

“We weren't quite where needed to be with Caddo River last Saturday [in the GII Rebel S.],” admitted Cox. “Caddo River showed that he wants to be very close, and probably, the longer the distance–a mile and an eighth and beyond–he would likely be more forwardly placed. Hopefully, we can make some adjustments there and we can be back on track for the [GI] Arkansas Derby [Apr. 10].”

Runner-up in his first two career starts in New York last fall, Caddo River posted an eye-catching score going a mile at Churchill Downs Nov. 15.

And while 'Derby Fever' can often prove overwhelming with even one Classic contender, Cox admits he relishes the added pressure.

“There is a lot that goes into the Derby. I think it's more because you're not only watching your horse, but you're also watching every impressive horse throughout the country,” he explained. “When there is a horse that breaks its maiden and you wake up the next morning and there is a new TDN Rising Star on your email, the first thing you do you click and watch the replay. There is definitely more to the Kentucky Derby dream. It represents so many horses and so many people's goals. I really enjoy it. This is what it's all about. Watching other horses' races and trying to figure out how our horses will stack up.”

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