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Millionaire Marathoner Lone Rock Headed To New Oaklawn Race

Lone Rock was a $40,000 claimer when he came to Oaklawn for the 2021 meeting. He returns a multiple Grade 2 stakes winner and with $1,024,921 in career earnings.

And the marathon runner may not be done this year.

Trainer Robertino Diodoro said Tuesday morning that Lone Rock is under consideration for the inaugural $200,000 Tinsel Stakes for 3-year-olds and up Dec. 18 at Oaklawn. The 1 1/8-mile Tinsel is among four new races added to Oaklawn's 2021-2022 stakes schedule to accommodate an expanded season (66 days) and December opening, the second-earliest in track history.

A two-time allowance winner at the 2021 Oaklawn meeting, Lone Rock flourished after targeting races beyond the American classic distance (1 ¼ miles) and surpassed $1 million in career earnings with a 1 ½-length victory in the $250,000 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes (G2) Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

Lone Rock set a 1 5/8-mile track record (2:42.61) under Oaklawn regular Ramon Vazquez.

Lone Rock has bankrolled $722,884 in winning 6 of 8 starts (all in 2021) since Diodoro re-claimed the now-6-year-old Majestic Warrior gelding for $40,000 last November at Churchill Downs on behalf of New York owner Jason Provenzano (Flying P Stable).

“He was meant to be a good horse,” said Diodoro, Oaklawn's leading trainer in 2020. “Horses are like athletes. You see some of these kids come out of college, or they're in college, and they're rock stars and then they go pro and they're nowhere to be found. Sometimes, it's the other way around. Guy's mediocre in college, but takes the next step and goes to the pros. Same thing with these horses.”

In Lone Rock's case, he became a pro at long, long distances.

Prior to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, Lone Rock had captured an April 11 allowance race at Oaklawn, $130,000 Isaac Murphy Marathon Overnight Stakes April 27 at Churchill Downs, $400,000 Brooklyn Stakes (G2) June 5 at Belmont Park and the $120,000 Birdstone Stakes Aug. 5 at Saratoga.

The April 11 race, Isaac Murphy and Brooklyn were all 1 ½ miles. The Birdstone was 1 ¾ miles. Lone Rock also finished second in another 1 ½-mile race, the $150,000 Temperence Hill Stakes for older horses, March 13 at Oaklawn.

“The farther the better,” Diodoro said.

Lone Rock began his racing career with mega-successful Oaklawn owner John Ed Anthony of Hot Springs, who covets long-winded, two-turn runners, and now-retired trainer Will VanMeter. Lone Rock, prior to being gelded, closed his 2018 campaign with a victory in Remington Park's $75,000 Jeffrey A. Hawk Memorial Stakes at 1 mile and 70 yards.

Diodoro originally claimed Lone Rock for $40,000 from Anthony and Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott in July 2020 at Saratoga. Mott, on behalf of himself and Paradise Farms Corp., took the gelding back for $40,000 approximately three months later at Keeneland.

“We were kicking ourselves for running him back for the $40,000,” Diodoro said. “But we had to win some races. We were in a little bit of whatever. We just got lucky to get him back.”

Diodoro said Lone Rock received a brief freshening at Turf Paradise in Phoenix following the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance before shipping to Oaklawn. The gelding arrived Saturday in Hot Springs, Diodoro said.

“We're going to train him here for 10 days and see how he trains and then we'll make a decision whether to give him a break or continue on,” Diodoro said. “Our original plan was to give him a break. A few things have unfolded in the last little bit, so we're going to see. So far, he seems good. We want to make sure he's 100 percent.”

Overall, Lone Rock has a 13-4-2 record from 36 lifetime starts. Lone Rock began 2021 with a 1 1/16-mile allowance victory at Oaklawn. The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance was his fifth career stakes victory.

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‘He’ll Always Be Special To Us’: Russell Mulling Next Start For First Graded Winner Wondrwherecraigis

Coming off the first graded-stakes win for himself and his trainer, Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, Madaket Stables and Michael Caruso's Wondrwherecraigis is enjoying some down time while the connections mull his next race.

The 4-year-old Munnings gelding was a front-running winner of the seven-furlong Bold Ruler (G3) Oct. 31 at Belmont Park, his second career stakes victory and first in graded company from 10 starts.

Based at Laurel Park with trainer Brittany Russell, Wondrwherecraigis' triumph came seven weeks following his disqualification to second after finishing first in the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) over his home track. It was also one day before Russell gave birth to a son, Rye, her second child with husband and jockey Sheldon Russell. They are also parents to 2-year-old daughter, Edy.

“I was disappointed not to be there, but, hey, we had another big thing going on,” Brittany Russell joked. “It was huge. It was so disappointing for him and the ownership group and everyone to see him disqualified that day. But, he came back and he showed that he is a graded-stakes winner.

“'Craig' is doing awesome. He hasn't missed a beat,” she added. “He thinks he's King Kong.”

Russell said they have yet to settle on a target race for Wondrwherecraigis. Among the options are $100,000 Dave's Friend, part of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series, Dec. 26 at Laurel and the Toboggan (G3) Jan. 29 at Aqueduct. Both races are contested at seven furlongs.

“We're just sort of trying to give him some time now. I wouldn't say we're set on anything. There's a race in New York in January. There's the MATCH Series race at the end of December. Nothing's really set in stone,” Russell said.

“He'll get this next month. I just sort of backed off of him since he ran and we'll kind of start gearing him back up and let him tell us,” she added. “You have some ideas and goals in the back of your mind, but he doesn't owe us anything. If we keep him home, great. If we decide to take him somewhere else, that's cool, too.”

Russell credited her New York-based assistant, Amanda Olds, with playing a large part in Wondrwherecraigis' success. In addition to the Bold Ruler, his other stakes win came in mid-August in the Tale of the Cat at Saratoga.

“It's nice for us to be able to send him up and not worry about anything. There's no worry shipping him when you have someone like that to travel with,” Russell said. “When he was up at Saratoga, after he won he stayed with her for a while up there and, obviously, it was the right move. She did a great job with him. It's all the moving parts. We're lucky to have the team we have.”

Wondrwherecraigis owns six wins, one second and one third with $347,640 in purse earnings from 10 starts, making a successful debut last March at Laurel just before racing was paused amid the coronavirus pandemic. He has finished first in all five of his races in Maryland, four of them wins prior to the De Francis.

“He's cool. He's one of the original bunch from when we first started along with Hello Beautiful,” Russell said. “'Craig' was, at the end of that year, he was one of the horses that kind of came in and saved me. He just kind of keeps saving me. He got me that graded win, and he's just special. He'll always be special to us.”

The post ‘He’ll Always Be Special To Us’: Russell Mulling Next Start For First Graded Winner Wondrwherecraigis appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Ontario Sire Heritage Series Concludes Friday At Woodbine

A pair of main track stakes, the Lake Ontario and Ashbridges Bay, share top billing on Friday's eight-race card at Woodbine.

The 1 1/16-mile Tapeta events represent the finale of the Ontario Sire Heritage Series, an eight-leg stakes series open to Ontario Sired 3-year-olds, contested at Woodbine and Fort Erie racetracks.

Ontario Racing and its Thoroughbred Improvement Program (TIP) Committee unveiled the series in March. With a total purse structure of $750,000, the Heritage Series showcases a total of four races – three opening legs and one final – for both three-year-old colts and three-year-old fillies who are sustained to the Ontario Sires Stakes program.

The $100,000 Lake Ontario, carded as race seven, has attracted a field of six colts & geldings, including Secret Reserve.

Trained by Mike Mattine for owners Carlo D'Amato and Stacey Van Camp, the son of Giant Gizmo is riding a three-race win streak heading into the Lake Ontario.

After a fifth to launch his 3-year-old campaign, Secret Reserve has made three straight trips to the winner's circle, including victories in the seven-furlong main track Elgin Stakes on August 29, and most recently, a two-length score in the Lake Superior Stakes, run at seven panels over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course on October 22.

“Every one of the wins was different and special,” said Mattine. “He just keeps on improving. Last year as a baby, I could tell he was a good horse, when he started breezing. He's been very good this year. When he goes out and trains, he's all business.”

Friday's engagement marks the first time Secret Reserve, bred by Dr. Brian Van Arem, will test two turns.

The dark bay arrives at the Lake Ontario in good order.

“He's in good shape,” offered Mattine. “Obviously, we'll have to see if he can get the distance. It's going to be his toughest race so far. There are plenty of good horses in here. This is definitely his toughest test. Hopefully, he can perform just like he has in his last three starts.”

Secret Reserve debuted last September at Woodbine, recording a 2 ½-length win at 7-1 in the five-furlong Tapeta race.

The gelding has won his past three starts by a combined 10 lengths.

“He's a nice horse and it helps that he's Ontario-sired because he fits that program very well. He's got good numbers, that part we know, but we'll have to see how he handles two turns. It's a tougher field, too, so we'll hope he comes up with another big effort.”

Five fillies will face-off in the $100,000 Ashbridges Bay Stakes, slated as the first race.

Multiple stakes winner Lorena, trained and co-owned by Stuart Simon, goes after her fourth career added-money title.

A five-time winner from seven starts, the daughter of Souper Speedy won the Fury Stakes in July, the Algoma Stakes in August, and the Thunder Bay Stakes on October 22.

Red Equinox, winner of the Rondeau Bay Stakes on September 14 at Fort Erie, has three victories from seven races. The daughter of Signature Red is trained by Jamie Attard.

First post time for Friday's card is 4:45 p.m. Fans can also watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com and the Dark Horse Bets app.

FIELD FOR THE LAKE ONTARIO

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Secret Reserve – Rafael Hernandez – Mike Mattine

2 – Artie's Storm – David Moran – Paul Buttigieg

3 – Jelgo – Sahin Civaci – Matt Douglas

4 – Perfect Crime – Eswan Flores – Patrick Dixon

5 – Avoman – Patrick Husbands – Don MacRae

6 – Dragon's Brew – Kazushi Kimura – Robert Tiller

FIELD FOR THE ASHBRIDGES BAY

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Jolene Jolene – Justin Stein – Harold Ladouceur

2 – Jilli Marie – Steven Bahen – Katerina Vassilieva

3 – Lorena – Gary Boulanger – Stuart Simon

4 – Practical Gizmo – Jodeien Anderson – Marjorie Paterson

5 – Red Equinox – Luis Contreras – Jamie Attard

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Japan Cup: O’Brien Sending Breeders’ Cup Runners Broome, Japan

Ballydoyle master Aidan O'Brien plans to send Breeders' Cup Turf second and fourth-place finishers Broome and Japan to the Nov. 28 Japan Cup, according to racingpost.com. The 1 1/2-mile contest at Tokyo Racecourse is worth ¥648 million (about US$5.6 million), and has also drawn Group 1 winner Grand Glory from the barn of trainer Gianluca Bietolini.

Broome, the 5-year-old son of Australia, won the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud back in July. He also ran second in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, and in the Breeders' Cup he finished second, beaten a half-length by Yibir under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr.

Japan, a 5-year-old son of Galileo, won a pair of Group 3 races in Europe this season and ran a big second in the G1 Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga in August, beaten just a neck by Gufo.

Grand Glory, a 5-year-old daughter of Olympic Glory, won the G1 Prix Jean Romanet and was beaten just a nose in the G1 Prix de l'Opera on Arc day. The Japan Cup will be the final race of her career.