Lone Rock Shortens Up Again for Razorback Handicap
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Photo: Coady Photography
Lone Rock wins the 2021 Tinsel Stakes at Oaklawn Park
Having proved himself at a shorter route distance last out at Oakawn Park, Lone Rock returns in the $600,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) against eight other older horses at the Hot Springs, Ark., track.
Known for his success at marathon distances, the 7-year-old Majestic Warrior gelding now shortens up to 1 1/16 miles for the first time in almost a year. R. A. Hill Stable and Flying P Stable's multiple grade 2 winner won in the mud at Oaklawn last out when taking the 1 1/8-mile Tinsel Stakes by three-quarters of a length Dec. 18. The last time Lone Rock raced the Razorback's distance was also at Oaklawn in a Feb. 27, 2021, allowance optional claimer, which he won.
Oaklawn Park, Saturday, December 18, 2021, Race 9Entries: Tinsel S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Huge Bigly (WA)
Reylu Gutierrez
117
John Alexander Ortiz
6/1
2
2Lone Rock (KY)
Ramon A. Vazquez
124
Robertino Diodoro
8/5
3
3Beau Luminarie (KY)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
124
Rodolphe Brisset
6/1
4
4Title Ready (KY)
Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.
124
Dallas Stewart
9/2
5
5Tenfold (KY)
Luis Contreras
117
Steven M. Asmussen
6/1
6
6Thomas Shelby (KY)
David Cohen
121
Robertino Diodoro
8/1
7
7Warrior's Charge (FL)
Florent Geroux
124
Brad H. Cox
5/2
Should Lone Rock turn in an impressive performance in the Razorback, trainer Robertino Diodoro may consider him for the $12 million Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) March 26 at 1 1/4 miles.
"I don't know if we have to win it. We are shortening up to a mile and a sixteenth in the Razorback," Diodoro said. "As long as he shows up again and runs like he's been running, then we're going to give it (the Dubai World Cup) some serious consideration, for sure."
Diodoro will also saddle M and M Racing's Thomas Shelby , who was second in the Tinsel and third in the Jan. 15 Fifth Season Stakes at Oaklawn.
Danny Caldwell's Rated R Superstar , a neck winner of the one-mile Fifth Season, will attempt the Razorback for the fifth time Saturday. His best finish was third in 2019.
The race also attracted the 1-2 finishers of the Dec. 11 Poinsettia Stakes at Oaklawn—Willis Horton Racing's Last Samurai and Erv Woolsey and Keith Asmussen's Super Stock . The latter won the Arkansas Derby (G1) last spring.
Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will be represented in the Razorback by Super Stock and Ed and Susie Orr's Silver Prospector , who captured the 2020 Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn.
Woodford Thoroughbreds, WinStar Farm, and Rock Ridge Racing's Promise Keeper will make his first start since finishing fourth in the Ohio Derby (G3) in late June. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the 4-year-old Constitution colt was a 2 1/4-length winner after pressing the pace in the Peter Pan Stakes (G3) last May at Belmont Park.
Shortleaf Stable's Plainsman won the Ack Ack Stakes (G3) in the fall at Churchill Downs. The Brad Cox trainee has been third in both the Bold Ruler Handicap (G3) at Belmont and the Dec. 4 Cigar Mile Handicap Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) at Aqueduct Racetrack in two starts since, having to steady in both of those races.
Rounding out the field is George Sharp's Popular Kid , a last-out winner of the Nov. 19 Jeffrey A. Hawk Memorial Stakes at Remington Park.
Oaklawn Park, Saturday, February 12, 2022, Race 10Entries: Razorback H. (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Popular Kid (CA)
Francisco Arrieta
116
Shawn H. Davis
20/1
2
2Super Stock (KY)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
120
Steven M. Asmussen
9/2
3
3Lone Rock (KY)
Ramon A. Vazquez
122
Robertino Diodoro
3/1
4
4Rated R Superstar (KY)
David Cabrera
119
Federico Villafranco
8/1
5
5Promise Keeper (KY)
Florent Geroux
119
Todd A. Pletcher
4/1
6
6Thomas Shelby (KY)
David Cohen
117
Robertino Diodoro
6/1
7
7Last Samurai (KY)
Jon Kenton Court
118
Dallas Stewart
8/1
8
8Plainsman (KY)
Joel Rosario
120
Brad H. Cox
7/2
9
9Silver Prospector (KY)
Luis Contreras
115
Steven M. Asmussen
15/1