Last year, only a neck separated Plainsman and Rated R Superstar in the $175,000 Governor's Cup Stakes, with the latter getting the best of it at the wire.
Despite the loss, Plainsman, a 7-year-old horse trained by Brad Cox and owned by Shortleaf Stable, has been made the 9-5 morning-line favorite over Rated R Superstar (4-1). They will leave the gate next to each other, from post 1 (Rated R Superstar) and 2 (Plainsman) in the 1 1/8-mile Governor's Cup Aug. 19 at Remington Park.
After losing to Rated R Superstar in last year's Governor's Cup, Plainsman, a son of Flatter out of the Street Sense mare S S Pinafore, made his next stop at Churchill Downs and won the $300,000 Ack Ack Stakes (G3) at one mile Oct. 2. He has a record of 9-7-6 from 31 starts with earnings of $1,408,412.
Rated R Superstar is a 9-year-old Kodiak Kowboy gelding from Federico Villafranco's barn who runs for Remington Park's all-time winningest owner, Danny Caldwell of Poteau, Okla. Caldwell picked up Rated R Superstar for $50,000 in a claiming race at Oaklawn Park early last year.
The gelding has run in nothing but graded stakes in his last five starts. He has a record of 11-10-8 from 62 starts. His earnings rest at $1,616,280.
Also entered is Brendan Walsh trainee Ethical Judgement, whose last start was a win in an allowance optional claiming race at Ellis Park.
Completing the field are Box Seat, Catdaddy, Oliver, Flash of Mischief, and Tiz Life.
Opening Night at Remington Park
A total of 87 entered the nine races Friday evening for an average field size of 9.6. The total purses for the evening total $381,925, with the $175,000 Governor's Cup topping the night.
A 5 1/2-furlong sprint for $5,000-level Oklahoma-bred claimers, 3-year-olds and older, will begin the season. A group of eight will contest the opener over the main track.
A pair of turf races, both at two turns, will take place opening night. In race six, maidens aged 3, 4, 5 will go one mile, with a field of 11 attempting to graduate to the ranks of winners. The final race on the program is an allowance event at 7 1/2 furlongs for fillies and mares, 3 and older, with 12 entered.
Remington Park will stay with Friday and Saturday racing through the remainder of August. The first race nightly is 7:07 p.m. All times Central.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
