Former $40,000 Claimant Lone Rock cap off a stellar 2021 campaign with a crisp win in rail driving on December 18 in the first $200,000 Tinsel Stake at Oaklawn Park.
Although the 1/8-mile distance isn’t ideal for the long-distance superstar, coach Robertino Diodoro remains confident in his chances in Saturday’s race, telling the Oaklawn racetrack media. Before the race the gelding team had been trained “too well” to miss the chance to run in Tinsel.
Despite having not run shorter than a mile and a half since February and facing a field that includes classified winners Warrior’s Charge , Ten-fold , and Title is ready in addition to the attractive newcomers Very big and Beau Luminarie , Lone Rock was betting as the 9-5 favorite in his final game of the year.
When the gates opened, jockey Reylu Gutierrez was already taking the lead on board the Huge Bigly, well ahead of Lone Rock’s steady-state friend. Thomas Shelby in front to make the seven-horse field over a quarter mile fast open in: 23.31. Behind the pacesetters, Lone Rock and Warrior’s Charge lead the second flight, nose and nose down to the back. After half-time: 47.80, the field entered Huge Bigly, who began to retreat as the pack returned home. Warrior’s Charge launched an outside bid to engage Thomas Shelby in 3/4 in 1:12.60 and racer Ramon Vazquez, unable to get Lone Rock outside, drove the car in big strides. Overcome Huge Bigly tired to the rails and he relays the rope.
Beau Luminarie rallied late in the middle of the track but couldn’t get past the pair coached by Diodoro. Lone Rock dug into gambling to dominate more than three-quarters of the length against stubborn Thomas Shelby, who was half a length ahead of Beau Luminarie.
“Fantastic,” Diodoro said after the race. “Ramon rides great. He has traffic trouble which is a good part of the race. He’s a big horse stuck inside, which is a bit unsettling. But, Ramon did a great job. when we got him out there and put our hats on both of our horses, our other horse, Thomas Shelby, also ran great. It was very good, especially because it didn’t lead. It ran like a race. Hell racing.”
Lone Rock connections enjoy Tinsel Stakes trophy presentation
Owned by Flying P Stable and RA Hill Stable, Lone Rock ran 1 1/8 mile on a muddy (sealed) listed track in 1:49.77. He paid $5.60 for the win.
In the previous start, Lone Rock set a 1 5/8 mile track record at Del Mar on the way home, the convincing winner of the Thoroughbred Care Alliance (G2) match on November 6 in the Breeders’ Cup. With his Tinsel score, ‘s 6-year-old son Mighty Warrior acquired the sixth stakes race of his career — fifth this year — and finished the season with seven wins from nine trips to the post. Gelding has grossed over US$1.14 million.
“He was a great horse,” Vazquez said. “I know he’s feeling good in his training, but he scared me a bit because he hasn’t run 1 1/8 mile in a while. I know I have a lot of horses. I’m waiting. waiting for the perfect position. and the perfect moment to move my horse. When I found the hole, it took off.”
The Lone Rock was bred in Kentucky by Pollock Farms and Horse Farms. Among the classified shares booked Spin hard mare Ruby Lips, he is a half-brother to the Tempted Stakes captain and this year’s runner-up Frizette Stakes (G1) Gerrymander (Into Mischief ). Ruby Lips made three winners from four ponies to race and also the dam of the avid pony by More than ready , pony by Tapit this past spring, and has been bred into Organization for 2022. She comes from the family of high school winners Hard not to like and and Fiery Ensign as well as Canadian classic winner Like a Gem.
Videotapes: Tinsel S. (BT)
Mucho returns to the winning way
One race ahead of Tinsel, WSS Racing and 4 G Racing’s Mucho returned to the winner’s circle when splashing down the center of the track for a half-length tally in a $127,200 subsidized option claim contest.
Mucho prevails in an Oaklawn . option rights race
5 year old son of Blame , third person with Special Reserve and Hello West in Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (G2) at Keeneland two back-to-back starts (followed by Aloha West who won the Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup Sprint, G1), entering the race on Saturday with a tight finish as runners-up on May 6. 11. Bet on Sunshine Staking at Churchill Downs.
Trained by John Ortiz and guided by Gutierrez, Mucho stops the watch at 1:09.90 for six metal pieces.
Favorite Morning Line Missile CZ scratched.
In 1st grade at the age of 2, Mucho recorded his first black event earlier this year at the Challedon Stakes in Pimlico racetrack. The winner of seven of his 29 career starts, he increased his earnings to $686,729. He was raised in Kentucky by Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider and is not a Pulpit Extent.
