Lone Rock appears to lay over field in Grand Prix American Jockey Club
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Robertino Diodoro and the owners of Lone Rock may well have spent more anxious moments worrying about whether Saturday’s $300,000 Grand Prix American Jockey Club Invitational at Belmont Park would fill for their long-winded distance specialist than they will during the actual running of the race.
At least that would seem to be the case if Lone Rock continues to run to the form that has seen him win his last four starts by a combined margin of 25 3/4 lengths, including the Grade 2 Brooklyn by 11 1/4 lengths here in June.
The 1 5/8-mile Grand Prix attracted only 13 nominations and ultimately lured a field of six, including supplementary entrants Empty Tomb and Chris and Dave. Moretti is nominated for the $200,000 Greenwood next Saturday at Parx.
Lone Rock has been nearly unbeatable since being claimed from Diodoro by trainer Bill Mott for $40,000 out of a win 11 months ago at Keeneland. Diodoro wasted little time taking Lone Rock back for the same price out of another victory five weeks later.
A 6-year-old son of Majestic Warrior, Lone Rock has captured seven of his last eight starts. The lone loss during that period came in the Temperence Hill in March at Oaklawn Park, where he was beaten a neck by Carlos L. after a prolonged stretch duel.
“I think he was always meant to be a good horse,” said Diodoro. “And horses are like athletes – some are late bloomers. He loves his job, he loves to train. And you need a horse like that to run the kinds of distances he has this season.”
Diodoro paired Lone Rock with jockey Ramon Vasquez for the first time last spring at Oaklawn Park, and they are undefeated and virtually untested in four consecutive starts.
“Ramon is a very underrated rider,” Diodoro said. “He’s one of the best in the country. He’s got nice, quiet hands, which is just what this horse likes. He just lets him do his own thing. Ramon has fit him like a glove.”
As if he needed more of an edge, Lone Rock also benefits from the Grand Prix being decided under allowance conditions. He’ll carry 122 pounds, two less than he toted to his easy victory in the Birdstone at Saratoga six weeks earlier.
Moretti has futilely chased Lone Rock home twice, finishing a distant third in the Brooklyn and third, beaten five lengths after setting the early pace, in the 1 3/4-mile Birdstone. Moretti is coming off one of the poorest performances of his career, finishing far back in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer on Aug. 28 in his first try on turf.
Empty Tomb and Mo Gotcha enter the Grand Prix off the claim.
Empty Tomb was haltered for $80,000 by trainer Robert Falcone Jr. out of a third-place finish going nine furlongs at Saratoga on Aug. 7. Empty Tomb is also nominated to next Saturday’s Parx Mile.
Mo Gotcha has been claimed for $40,000 out of his last two starts. He and Locally Owned are outsiders.