Plainsman outlasts Thomas Shelby in Razorback Handicap
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - The Grade 3, $600,000 Razorback Handicap came down to a photo finish Saturday after Plainsman and Thomas Shelby raced together from start to finish in the feature at Oaklawn Park.
In the end, Plainsman was a neck winner over Thomas Shelby.
“Both horses ran great and, luckily, we came out on the right end of it today,” winning trainer Brad Cox told publicity at Oaklawn. “It was a good race.”
The Razorback was one of two stakes on the card. Miss Bigly won the Grade 3, $250,000 Bayakoa for fillies and mares. The stakes were held on a sunny but windy afternoon in the low 40s. The ontrack crowd was an estimated 27,000, and handle on the 11-race card from all sources topped $9.2 million, according to figures provided by Oaklawn.
Plainsman ($5.80) and Thomas Shelby raced together through fractions of 23.18 seconds for the opening quarter, 47.78 for the half-mile and 1:12.51 for six furlongs. The two continued on through the stretch, with Plainsman, on the outside, covering the 1 1/16 miles distance on a fast track in 1:43.79.
Joel Rosario, fresh off winning an Eclipse Award, was aboard for Cox, who also took down an Eclipse Award on Thursday.
“He broke very well out of there,” Rosario told publicity at Oaklawn. “I could have probably gone on the first turn, but [Thomas Shelby] decided to go, too, so I kind of just sat on the outside all the way there, and see what happens. He did well. He kept fighting. The last part, it looked like the other horse was coming back, but then he didn't. He wanted to win."
Popular Kid finished third, 1 3/4 lengths behind Thomas Shelby.
Plainsman is a son of Flatter who races for Shortleaf Stable. Cox said plans were to keep the horse at Oaklawn. The track’s series for older horses includes the Essex and Oaklawn Handicap.
Plainsman was coming off a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct in December. He earned $360,000 for his win in the Razorback to push his career bankroll to $1.2 million. Overall, he is 9 for 28.