Lone Rock Towers Over American Jockey Club Opposition

Flying P Stable and R. A. Hill Stable's graded stakes winner Lone Rock , a standout performer in recent months in the long-distance dirt division, aims for his fifth straight win in the $300,000 Grand Prix American Jockey Club Invitational Stakes Sept. 18 at Belmont Park. The race for 4-year-olds and up is over 1 5/8 miles on the main track.

The race's second-ever edition, slated as the fourth race, is one of three stakes on Saturday's 11-race card, highlighted by the $1 million Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes.

Lone Rock, a 6-year-old by Majestic Warrior , hasn't lost since April, winning twice in New York over that span. He captured the Brooklyn Stakes Presented by Northwell Health (G2) by 11 1/4 lengths on Belmont Stakes Day, June 5. He then rolled by four lengths in the  1 3/4-mile Birdstone Stakes Aug. 5 at Saratoga Race Course.

"He's doing great, He had a real good work this past weekend and he's just a monster right now," said trainer Robertino Diodoro. "He's training great, looks great and he's filled out over the past few months. We just have to keep him happy and healthy."

Ramon Vazquez, who has been aboard during the gelding's current streak, returns to New York for the mount.

He was also up for a victory in the Isaac Murphy Marathon Overnight Stakes Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance at Churchill Downs April 27 and an allowance optional claiming score at Oaklawn Park April 11.

"Ramon is one of the most underrated riders there is," Diodoro said. "He has soft and quiet hands and this horse likes that. He puts him in position early, lets him do his thing, and I think that's what this horse likes."

Repole Stable and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Moretti  ran on turf for the first time in 15 career starts last out, finishing seventh in the Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer Stakes (G1T)  Aug. 28 at Saratoga. Now, Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher moves the 5-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro   back to his preferred surface on dirt. Last year he won the Flat Out Stakes and Birdstone Stakes over a marathon distance on dirt.

Prior to the Sword Dancer, he ran third in this year's Birdstone. Irad Ortiz Jr. rides.

The four remaining entrants exit claiming or optional claiming opposition, led by Empty Tomb . He was claimed for $80,000 out of a third-place finish in a 1 1/8-mile allowance optional claimer Aug. 7 at the Spa, and now makes his first start for owner John Grossi's Racing Corp. and trainer Robert Falcone Jr.

Locally Owned , Mo Gotcha , and Chris and Dave  round out the field.

Robert Amendola's Chris and Dave races for trainer Mertkan Kantarmaci, who has won four straight NYRA "Under 20s Claiming Challenges." 

Entries: Grand Prix American Jockey Club Invitational S.

Belmont Park, Saturday, September 18, 2021, Race 4

• STK
• 1 5/8m
• Dirt
• $300,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 2:33 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Mo Gotcha (KY)	Jalon L. Samuel	118	Naipaul Chatterpaul	30/1
2	2Chris and Dave (KY)	Manuel Franco	118	Mertkan Kantarmaci	12/1
3	3Empty Tomb (KY)	Luis Saez	118	Robert N. Falcone, Jr.	6/1
4	4Lone Rock (KY)	Ramon A. Vazquez	122	Robertino Diodoro	1/2
5	5Moretti (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Todd A. Pletcher	5/2
6	6Locally Owned (KY)	Dylan Davis	118	Thomas Morley	15/1