Marathoner Lone Rock shortens up in Tinsel Stakes

The bulk of Lone Rock’s competition has had a grand view of his rump this year, due to his 6-for-8 record.

The vantage point is much the same at the barn, as the multiple Grade 2 winner likes to park his bodacious buns at the front of his stall.

“He stands with his butt out, loves for you to stop and scratch him,” said trainer Robertino Diodoro. “He just turns his head. He’s a neat horse to have in the barn. A neat personality. He has little quirks about him that make him a lot of fun to have.”

The fun continues Saturday at Oaklawn Park, where Lone Rock will shoot for his fifth stakes win of the year in the $200,000 Tinsel. He is one of three millionaires in the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up, along with Warrior’s Charge and Tenfold.

The card also includes an appearance by C Z Rocket, the winner of last year’s Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn. He goes in the eighth race, a no-conditions allowance at six furlongs that serves as his first start since running seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

Lone Rock ran on the same card, winning the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance over 1 5/8 miles in his most recent start. It was his fifth marathon win of the year, with his victories coming by a combined margin of more than 27 lengths.

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“He just keeps giving us a lot of fun and enjoyment,” Diodoro said of the horse owned by R.A. Hill Stable and Flying P Stable. “He has crazy natural endurance. He has a big set of lungs on him. He’s a nice, big, strong horse.”

Ramon Vazquez was aboard last out and has the mount again Saturday from post 2. The pair will be making a notable cutback in distance, but Lone Rock started his season with a win over 1 1/16 miles in February at Oaklawn.

He’s also turned in some short, sharp half-mile works ahead of the Tinsel.

Warrior’s Charge owns the field’s best last-race Beyer Speed Figure, a 101 for a runner-up finish in a Keeneland allowance over 1 1/16 miles on Oct. 24.

“He ran well last time,” said trainer Brad Cox. “He got a career-best figure out of his race at Keeneland. He likes Oaklawn, and we thought this race made sense for him from a standpoint of timing. And it’s a good race. I think he fits.”

Warrior’s Charge won last year’s Grade 3 Razorback at Oaklawn and also ran second in the Oaklawn Handicap. He is looking for his first win at 1 1/8 miles.

“I think early on, we thought it might be a little bit of a stretch,” Cox said. “But as he’s gotten older, he’s shown ability to kind of come from off the pace. Now we think it’s something that’s attainable.”

Warrior’s Charge will break from post 7 in the field of seven under regular rider Florent Geroux. The horse is a candidate to control the pace, or he could track Thomas Shelby, a speed horse trained by Diodoro who is cross-entered in a starter allowance Sunday at Oaklawn.

“We’ll ask him to run out of there,” Cox said. “As far as how forward he wants to be, it depends on who shows up and runs where, and how he breaks. I would definitely say he’ll be in the mix early on.”

Warrior’s Charge is owned by Ten Strike Racing and Madaket Stables.

Thomas Shelby is 7 for 11 in 2021. Two of those wins have come at the distance of the Tinsel.

“He keeps getting better and better,” Diodoro said. “Here at Oaklawn he looks terrific. His coat looks great.”

David Cohen has the mount from post 6 for M and M Racing.

C Z Rocket has new trainer

C Z Rocket is part of a field of eight, which figures to produce starters for the sprint stakes series at Oaklawn. Others in the Saturday race include Grade 2 winner Long Range Toddy and stakes winners County Final and Mucho.

C Z Rocket broke last in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and finished five lengths behind winner Aloha West. He is making his first start for trainer Rene Amescua on Saturday after Peter Miller announced he is taking a hiatus from training. Geroux has the mount from post 8.