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Plainsman makes the grade in G3 Discovery White Flag shows no surrender in Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship

by Keith McCalmont and Najja Thompson

Shortleaf Stable's Plainsman demanded the lead under a crafty ride by Joel Rosario to earn his first career stakes win in Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Discovery at Aqueduct Racetrack.

In a race that featured the much-anticipated return of Grade 1 Belmont runner-up Gronkowski, it was Plainsman who took both the money, sent to post as the 4-5 mutuel favorite, and the spoils, with a powerful front-running performance under Rosario in the nine-furlong test for sophomores.

Gronkowski broke outward and was away last in the field of four as Plainsman and Bon Raison battled for the lead with Title Ready content to stalk in third position from the inside post. Plainsman took control of the race through the opening turn, with Bon Raison on his flank and Title Ready settled 3 1/2-lengths back of the pacesetters through an opening quarter of 24.53 seconds.

Down the backstretch, Manny Franco made an early move with Title Ready and Gronkowski, under urging from Jose Ortiz, followed suit as 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. Plainsman, however, battled back and as Bon Raison faded through the final turn, Title Ready stepped forward as the main threat with Gronkowski trying to make up ground along the rail.

Plainsman, with steady strides, enjoyed a 2 1/2-length lead at the head of the stretch and powered comfortably under the wire for a 1 3/4-length win. Title Ready completed the exacta, a half-length in front of Gronkowski. Plainsman covered 1 1/8 miles in a final time of 1:52.14.

A bay son of Flatter, Plainsman arrived at the Discovery on a two-race win streak but was making only his second career stakes start having finished sixth, at long odds, in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby in April.

"It was a great ride. Joel [Rosario] 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," said Dustin Dugas, assistant to winning trainer Brad Cox.

In victory, Rosario completed a personal Discovery hat trick having captured the event in 2016 with Sticksstatelydude and a year ago aboard Control Group. The veteran rider also won the 2012 Discovery with Called to Serve.

Rosario said he was impressed with Plainsman's determination throughout.

"He's a pretty decent horse and he tried really hard. He kept running on. He was still fighting at the end," said Rosario. "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.

"There wasn't much speed," he added. "I thought I'd be either first or second and then he broke sharp, so I just had to hold my spot."

Plainsman, bred in Kentucky by Joseph Minor, banked $110,000 in victory while improving his record to 4-3-2 from 12 starts. He paid $3.80 to win.

Life's a Parlay, Roaming Union and Bal Harbour were scratched.

One race later, jockey David Cohen, aboard Robert S. Evans' White Flag, worked out a ground saving trip and held off a late charge from stablemate Disco Partner to win the $125,000 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship.

Breaking from post 8 at 10-1, White Flag was in fourth-position as Dubini led the field of seven through fractions of 22.46 seconds for the opening quarter-mile with 45.05 for the half. At the three-eighths pole, White Flag began to make his run toward the leader, moving four-wide as the field passed the quarter-pole.

Set down in a full drive at the top of the stretch, White Flag overtook Dubini and Kitten's Cat, who was traveling well along the rail. Post-time favorite Disco Partner, in need of racing room, angled out five-wide at the top of lane with White Flag in his sights. White Flag, however, extended away in the final yards to secure the victory by three-quarters of a length.

White Flag covered the six-furlong distance in 1:07.98 on a firm outer turf course.

"I actually expected him [Disco Partner] to be in front of me, so when he really didn't break all that sharp and didn't really push the pace, I just kind of rode my race like usual," said Cohen. "I definitely wanted to tip out before he had any chance to kind of get his momentum going."

Returning $22.60 for a $2 win wager, the 4-year-old War Front colt and Christophe Clement trainee earned his fifth victory from 12 starts while increasing his lifetime bankroll to $426,303.

"He's always been a nice horse," said Clement. "He won a stakes as a 3-year-old [the 2017 Allied Forces] and has been a bit unlucky this year. The last time, when I ran him in California, he came back with a quarter crack. We took care of that, and he ran very well today. I wouldn't be surprised if he wants to go a touch further, maybe seven-eighths or even a mile."

Disco Partner ran second in his first start since finishing third in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint on November 3 at Churchill Downs.

"I thought he ran very well but the draw was against him. He broke well but they had him wide," said Clement. "He finished and he tried, the race was just a bit against him. He was also the top weight [carrying 126 pounds]. But he ran well."

Kitten's Cat, Hembree, Blind Ambition, Dubini, and Fielder completed the order of finish. Coal Front and Axtell were scratched.