Locally Owned, sent to post at 18-1 under Dylan Davis, upset 1-9 favorite Lone Rock in the $291,000 Grand Prix American Jockey Club Invitational Stakes Sept. 18 at Belmont Park.
Jason Provenzano's Flying P Stable campaigns both the winner and the runner-up, the latter in partnership with R. A. Hill Stable.
Trained by Tom Morley, Locally Owned settled at the back of the compact field of five for the 1 5/8-mile test for older horses. Mo Gotcha led through splits of :25.35, 50.54, and 1:17.20 on the fast main track with Lone Rock stalking to the outside in second.
Mo Gotcha led the pack into the final turn with Empty Tomb angling outside of Lone Rock while Davis sent Locally Owned through at the rail, rallying inside of Chris and Dave and the pacesetter to take command at the top of the lane.
Ramon Vazquez, aboard Robertino Diodoro-trained Lone Rock, provided right-handed encouragement but his mount could not reel in Locally Owned ($39), who secured a one-length win in a final time of 2:44.60.
Lone Rock completed the exacta by 2 3/4 lengths over Mo Gotcha. Chris and Dave and Empty Tomb completed the order of finish. Moretti was scratched.
Davis said rallying inside through the final turn allowed Locally Owned to take control of the race.
"I took that position because I didn't want Lone Rock to get the jump early before I did," Davis said. "I took the initiative, and he took control. He really finished strong at the wire. He really wanted to be there first."
Locally Owned snapped the four-race win streak of Lone Rock. The 5-year-old Distorted Humor gelding was a $40,000 claim in February at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. From 24 career starts, he holds a 5-5-5 record and has earned $461,431.
"Dylan rode the perfect race. He saved every inch of ground here," Provenzano said. "It's amazing that this horse, another claim, comes back and wins a race like this. This is what I dream of and it's all unfolding finally."
Provenzano said that Lone Rock lacking his usual kick could be attributed to a difficult campaign.
"It's bittersweet. 'The Rock' is 'the Rock.' He won my first graded stakes here on Belmont Day (the Brooklyn Presented by Northwell Health, G2) which is something I'll never forget," Provenzano said. "Then, we won a stakes at Saratoga (the Birdstone) and it's difficult to win up there in general, let alone a stakes.
"We piled it on. This is what happens sometimes," he added. "He didn't run a bad race, but at 1-9 he's supposed to beat up on them."
Locally Owned was bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings. He is the first foal out of the Pulpit mare Fiftyshadesofhay, a multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire whose latest foals include a yearling Medaglia d'Oro filly and a weanling Ghostzapper colt. The mare was bred to Curlin for 2022.
Consigned by Warrendale Sales, agent for Stonestreet Bred & Raised, to the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Locally Owned brought $250,000 from GMB Racing as a yearling.
