Plainsman wins Schaefer Memorial

Story by Jennie Rees, Eclipse Award Winning Turf Writer

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (Wednesday, July 7, 2021) — Wednesday’s $85,000 Michael G. Schaefer Memorial Stakes played out as the epitome of good news/bad news for trainer Brad Cox.

The good news: Shortleaf Stables’ 6-year-old Plainsman powered through the stretch for a 1 3/4-length victory over Exulting to capture his third straight race. On the other hand, 6-5 favorite Shared Sense, last year’s Indiana Derby winner, tired to fifth in a field of six older horses in his first start of 2021.

“Plainsman is solid,” said Cox, the reigning Eclipse Award winner as North America’s outstanding trainer. “He always shows up. We knew he’d run his race. I did think the other colt would run a lot better race, given the way he’d worked. He may have been a little short coming into this. He’s an older horse. He’s not a big horse. I thought he was fit enough. But he looked like he did tire a little quick.

“He was maybe a little bit closer to the pace than he normally is. He normally runs a little ways out of it. But he broke sharp, so you can’t take away anything that comes easy. But we’ll regroup. I’m hopeful he gets something out of it from a fitness standpoint. We’ll breeze him a few times and move forward and hopefully find another spot in the near future.”

Plainsman, a son of the Claiborne Farm stallion Flatter, covered a mile and 70 yards in 1:39.63, not far off the track record of 1:39.25 set in 2011. He paid $9.60 to win as the third choice. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back to Beau Luminarie, followed by Pirate’s Punch, Shared Sense and Truculent.

Francisco Arrieta, who has relocated to Kentucky this year after being based in the southwest, now is 3 for 3 on Plainsman, winning a $50,000 stakes at Prairie Meadows in the horse’s last start and an Oaklawn allowance race before that.

“They looked like they were going easy up to the three-eighths pole,” Arrieta said. “I said, ‘I got to start picking my horse up,’ and he responded pretty good. He’s a decent horse, he tries hard. I’ve ridden the horse three times, and he’s won three times. I think he likes me. I like him, too.”

Said Cox: “I can’t dispute that one bit. He’s done a fantastic job on this colt. He does give him a nice little trip, kind of keeps him out in the clear away from trouble. He seems to respond. He’s kind of a one-paced horse — just keep him out of trouble, doesn't get him stopped, that one grinding run, and he does well.”

Plainsman now is 7-5-3 in 23 starts, earning $515,407. Cox said he's not surprised at the victory.

“He won at Belmont impressively as a 3-year-old," he said. "He won a ‘two-other-than' (allowance) against older horses at Aqueduct and then won the Grade 3 Discovery. We had a really good run with him at 3. He had some feet issues that have kind of plagued him off and on throughout his career. Right now he’s good.”

The Schaefer Memorial, a Listed stakes event, is named in honor of former chairman of the Indiana Horse Racing Commission Michael Schaefer. Members of the Schaefer family were trackside to help present the trophy to the winning connections of Plainsman.

Photos by Coady Photography