Lone Rock gets back to marathon distance in Temperence Hill

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Lone Rock is back. Oh, he’s been here at Oaklawn all meet, but on Sunday he’s back at his favorite distance for the 1 1/2-mile Temperence Hill, in which he should be favored to continue his dominance in these tests of stamina.

It was in last year’s Temperence Hill that the career trajectory of Lone Rock changed from a middle-distance runner to a long-distance specialist. He finished second, and ended up making seven straight starts at 1 1/2 miles or longer, winning five, including a pair of Grade 2 stakes, and never finishing worse than second.

His trainer, Robertino Diodoro, got away with shortening him up to 1 1/8 miles earlier this meet, back in December, when he won the Tinsel. But a cutback to 1 1/16 miles last time out in the Grade 3 Razorback resulted in a sixth-place finish, the first time Lone Rock had been worse than second since Diodoro claimed him for $40,000 in November 2020.

“It was a big mistake on our part running him last time,” Diodoro said. “He’s back at what he loves, a mile and a half. The last race was too short.”

Lone Rock drew the rail in the $150,000 race, which goes as race 8 of 9 on a card that begins at 1 p.m. Central. Five others are entered, including stablemate Goalie, who would be returning a bit more than two weeks after winning a third-level allowance going 1 1/2 miles here March 17.

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Lone Rock’s chief rival is Strong Tide, who comes off a romping win going 1 1/2 miles in a money allowance Feb. 25 in which he earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 102. He’s won twice here this meet, both times on off tracks and with Geovanni Franco, who is back aboard Sunday. Dry conditions are forecast, but Strong Tide has proven effective on fast tracks, too, having won here last year going 1 9/16 miles.

Warbird ships in from Kentucky, where he has finished in the money in four straight races at 1 1/4 miles. He still has first-level allowance conditions, but the distance of this race made it an attractive spot for trainer Michael McCarthy.

“He’s a true stayer. A mile and a half is no problem for him,” McCarthy said. “He’s unlucky not to be past his first allowance condition. These are the kinds of races he’s going to show up in for the rest of his career.”

Tenfold is seeking to end a 21-race losing streak that dates to the 2019 Pimlico Special. Two of his four victories have been earned at Oaklawn. He is 0 for 3 this meet, with each of those races won by Lone Rock or Strong Tide, but all were on off tracks, and he should finally get a fast track Sunday.

Last Samurai, seventh in the Razorback last time out, was second in his only prior try at 1 1/2 miles, in the Grade 3 Greenwood Cup at Parx Racing last September.