Lone Rock, Tizmagician Lock Horns in 1 5/8-Mile TAA

The 6-year-old Lone Rock  made two starts for trainer Robertino Diodoro at Saratoga Race Course last summer before the conditioner lost him in a $40,000 claiming race to the Bill Mott stable. Despite that short amount of time under Diodoro's care, the gelding made an impression on the trainer, who didn't hesitate to drop another slip in for Lone Rock when the son of Majestic Warrior  lined up for $40,000 in his next start at Churchill Downs.

The gelding hasn't run for a tag since. Owned by Flying P. Stable and R.A. Hill Stable, Lone Rock has strung together five wins from seven starts since re-joining the Diodoro shedrow, with two of those victories being in stakes company. A route specialist, Lone Rock notched the biggest win of his career when annihilating the field by 11 1/2 lengths in the 1 1/2 mile Brooklyn Stakes Presented by Northwell Health (G2) on Belmont Stakes Day. The distant runner-up that June afternoon was the Richard Mandella trained Tizamagician , another top stayer who will be out to turn the tables on Lone Rock in the $250,000 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes (G2) on the Breeders' Cup undercard Nov. 6.

Formerly known as the Breeders' Cup Marathon, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes is one of the few 1 5/8 miles stakes events in the country. With the retirement of the race's two-time winner Rocketry  earlier in the year, the race's title appears to boil down to a match-up between Lone Rock and Tizamagician.

Lone Rock added a romp in the Aug. 5 Birdstone Stakes and a game second-place effort in the Sept. 18 Grand Prix American Jockey Club Invitational Stakes at Belmont Park after his Brooklyn tour de force. The narrow 6-5 morning-line favorite in the field of 9, Lone Rock will carry the top weight of 126 pounds and be ridden by his steady companion, jockey Ramon Vasquez.

Lone Rock's conquerer in the Grand Prix American Jockey Club, Locally Owned , is also owned by Flying P Stables. The 5-year-old Distorted Humor   gelding was claimed by trainer Thomas Morley at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots back in February. He joins the field as the third 6-1 choice in the TAA Stakes on the heels of his upset victory.

Tizamagician, a striking charcoal-colored Tiznow  colt, stamped himself as one of the early top contenders for the TAA Stakes when cruising to a nine-length triumph in the April 18 Tokyo City Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park. After his defeat to Lone Rock, the 4-year-old captured the July 18 Cougar II Stakes (G3) over the Del Mar oval followed by a solid second to Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) starter Tripoli  in the TVG Pacific Classic Stakes (G1). Cut back to 1 1/8 miles in the Oct. 2 Awesome Again Stakes (G1), the faster pace of the shorter trip took the finishing punch away from Tizmagician, and he could only manage fifth behind Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) victor Medina Spirit  at Santa Anita.

"(Tizamagician) ran a really good race last time here and he's been training well," said regular rider Flavien Pratt about his mount. "He feels strong and I think he will be ready to run another good one. When (Lone Rock) beat us (in the Brooklyn), we had a really bad break, so we had an excuse and I hope things will be different this time."

Trainer Peter Miller enters a pair in the TAA with Cupid's Claws , the 2020 Tokyo City Stakes (G3) winner and recent Fresno stakes winner Zestful . Recent winners Hapi Hapi  and Mad Grace  complete the field.

Entries: Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance S. (G2)

Del Mar, Saturday, November 06, 2021, Race 2

• Grade II
• 1 5/8m
• Dirt
• $250,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 10:50 AM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Mad Grace (KY)	Jessica Pyfer	122	Jonathan Wong	30/1
2	2Lone Rock (KY)	Ramon A. Vazquez	126	Robertino Diodoro	6/5
3	3Cupid's Claws (KY)	Luis Saez	122	Peter Miller	6/1
4	4Tizamagician (KY)	Flavien Prat	124	Richard E. Mandella	8/5
5	5Zestful (KY)	Florent Geroux	122	Peter Miller	8/1
6	6Locally Owned (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	122	Thomas Morley	6/1
7	7Hapi Hapi (CA)	Tiago Josue Pereira	122	Daniel Azcarate	30/1