OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Jay Provenzano’s Flying P Stable enjoyed a tremendous fall meet at Belmont Park, posting a record of 28-7-7-4 which was just one win shy of leading owner Klaravich Stables.
Flying P Stable’s top performers Lone Rock and Tell Your Daddy have both proven to be successful claims and the latter will look to provide the outfit a winning start at the Big A fall meet in Saturday’s $150,000 Artie Schiller, a one-mile inner turf test for 3-year-olds and upward.
“When I decided, I was going to start claiming at the Fair Grounds with Tom Morley, Tell Your Daddy was the first horse we claimed together,” Provenzano said. “Claims wise, I don’t think anyone brings more horses here from out of state. I claim now at Fair Grounds, Gulfstream, in Kentucky and Oaklawn. I bring a ton of horses here.”
Tell Your Daddy, a 5-year-old son of Scat Daddy, was claimed for $40,000 out of a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint in January at the Fair Grounds. The dark bay gelding was subsequently stretched out in distance and proved to be an astute acquisition with a win in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Bernard Baruch Handicap in September at Saratoga.
Tell Your Daddy enters Saturday’s test from a close second in the Grade 2 Keeneland Turf Mile in October at Keeneland.
“He’s a very honest turf horse and we’ve found he wants those kinds of distances,” Provenzano said.
Provenzano said Lone Rock, trained by Robertino Diodoro, is targeting the nine-furlong $200,000 Tinsel on December 18 at Oaklawn Park with an eye to the 10-furlong $12 million Group 1 Dubai World Cup in March at Meydan.
“If everything goes well there, we might take a shot if we get invited to go over to Dubai at a mile and a quarter. That’s a serious purse,” Provenzano said.
Lone Rock, claimed back by Flying P Stable for $40,000 in November 2020 at Churchill Downs, has posted a record of five wins and two seconds in seven starts at 1 1/2-miles and beyond dating to a runner-up effort in the Temperence Hill in March at Oaklawn. He launched his campaign with a rallying score at 1 1/16-miles over a sloppy Oaklawn surface in February.
Along the way, the 6-year-old Majestic Warrior gelding has captured the 12-furlong Grade 2 Brooklyn at Belmont in June and the 1 3/4-mile Birdstone in August at the Spa.
In September, Lone Rock finished second to Flying P Stable color bearer Locally Owned in the 13-furlong Grand Prix American Jockey Club at Belmont ahead of an impressive score in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance on Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup undercard at Del Mar.
“You play the game for a horse like him,” Provenzano said. “He’s had eight starts this year with six wins and two seconds and he seems to thrive at that long distance. He makes it seem so easy.”
With a number of top horses entering stud – including the first and third-place finishers in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic [Knicks Go and Essential Quality] – Provenzano said he would like to give Lone Rock a shot at 10 furlongs.
“We looked at some of the horses in the Classic that we lose to stud and where their last races are. It doesn’t leave as much talent going a mile and quarter. I know we’ll try him at that distance eventually,” Provenzano said.
Provenzano said he is hopeful that Flying P Stable can again compete for a NYRA meet title and will look to boost their totals in upcoming six-furlong state-bred stakes for juveniles on November 21 at the Big A with colt Hoboken Jack probable for the $100,000 Notebook and filly Cupid’s Heart pointing to the $100,000 Key Cents.
“It’s definitely the goal,” Provenzano said.
Aqueduct Saturday 10-Race Card
NYRA Press Office
Photo: Lone Rock fiercely taking the G2 Brooklyn by 11 1/4 lengths at Belmont on June 5, 2021, piloted by Ramon Vazquez. (NYRA/Coglianese)
