To qualify for consideration, nominees must have made their first start as a Thoroughbred owner in the last four years (since 2020), had an ownership stake in a horse at the time it won a stakes race in the past 12 months and had a verifiable owner license in 2023. Thoroughbred performance as well as a nominee's promotion of the sport will be considered. Nominations can be made by anyone, including current owners. A selection committee will select the winner.

To submit a nomination, please contact Gary Falter for a nomination form at (859) 224-2803 or gfalter@jockeyclub.com. The deadline to receive nominations is Nov. 10.

The award has been previously presented to Pat Kearney and Richard Dawson (co-winners), Boat Racing, MyRacehorse, Larry Best, Churchill Downs Racing Club, Charles and Susan Chu, LNJ Foxwoods, and Sol Kumin.

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Anyone can nominate an owner who meets the criteria. To submit a nomination, contact Gary Falter at (859) 224-2803 or gfalter@jockeyclub.com for a nomination form. Nominations close Nov. 6.

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The group of college friends from Brown University have used their runners' earnings to support philanthropic causes as well, contributing funds to and raising awareness for the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA), Jake Panus Scholarship Fund, and Jake Panus Walk-on Football Endowed Scholarship.

“Boat Racing has brought infectious enthusiasm to our sport as well as inspiring generosity for worthy causes,” said Gary Falter, project manager for OwnerView. “OwnerView is proud to recognize a new and youthful ownership group that has not only experienced success at the highest levels of horse racing, but has also given back to the community.”

“We could not be more pleased to be honored with this prestigious award and are cognizant of the much more deserving, rare company that have won before us,” said Patrick O'Neill, nephew of trainer Doug O'Neill. “The initial idea amongst us five was always to participate in this incredible sport we all have fallen in love with and utilize the amazing environment it provides to create memories to last us a lifetime. We had no inkling that this simple idea would ever take us to the pinnacle of the sport, which is why it was so important for us to pivot our fortunes into something bigger and beyond ourselves through MRA and the memory of Jake Panus. At the end of the day, all credit for this privilege goes to Doug O'Neill and his entire team, our incredible co-owners in Roadrunner Racing, Bill Strauss, and Gainesway Farm, and our amazing equine friend in Hot Rod Charlie.”

The New Owner of the Year Award has been previously presented to MyRacehorse, Larry Best, the Churchill Downs Racing Club, Charles and Susan Chu, LNJ Foxwoods, and Sol Kumin. The Boat Racing partners will be presented with their award during the final panel of the 2021 Thoroughbred Owner Conference series, which will be held Tuesday, December 7, at 2 p.m. ET.

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Boat Racing owns a handful of horses via yearling sales, 2-year-old in training sales, and pinhooking, but their primary claim to fame came from their significant minority share of Hot Rod Charlie, who won the grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby and Grade 2 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby in 2021. He also placed in this year's Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve and Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (both grade 1).

The ownership group is composed of college friends from Brown University – Eric Armagost, Daniel Giovacchini, Reiley Higgins, Patrick O'Neill, and Alex Quoyeser. The group is active in philanthropic causes via their commitment to raising awareness and contributing a portion of all of their horses' earnings, including Hot Rod Charlie's, toward the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA), Jake Panus Scholarship Fund, and Jake Panus Walk-on Football Endowed Scholarship.

“Boat Racing has brought infectious enthusiasm to our sport as well as inspiring generosity for worthy causes,” said Gary Falter, project manager for OwnerView. “OwnerView is proud to recognize a new and youthful ownership group that has not only experienced success at the highest levels of horse racing, but has also given back to the community.”

“We could not be more pleased to be honored with this prestigious award and are cognizant of the much more deserving, rare company that have won before us,” said Patrick O'Neill. “The initial idea amongst us five was always to participate in this incredible sport we all have fallen in love with and utilize the amazing environment it provides to create memories to last us a lifetime. We had no inkling that this simple idea would ever take us to the pinnacle of the sport, which is why it was so important for us to pivot our fortunes into something bigger and beyond ourselves through MRA and the memory of Jake Panus. At the end of the day, all credit for this privilege goes to Doug O'Neill and his entire team, our incredible co-owners in Roadrunner Racing, Bill Strauss, and Gainesway Farm, and our amazing equine friend in Hot Rod Charlie.”

The New Owner of the Year Award has been previously presented to MyRacehorse, Larry Best, the Churchill Downs Racing Club, Charles and Susan Chu, LNJ Foxwoods, and Sol Kumin.

The 2021 Thoroughbred Owner Conference series is hosted by The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and presented by Bessemer Trust, Dean Dorton Equine, Stoll Keenon Ogden, and Stonestreet Farm. There is no registration fee for the live or recorded virtual conference series, but registration is required. Registration information is available at ownerview.com/event/conference or by contacting Gary Falter at gfalter@jockeyclub.com.

OwnerView is a joint effort spearheaded by The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to encourage ownership of Thoroughbreds and provide accurate information on aspects of ownership such as trainers, public racing syndicates, the process of purchasing and owning a Thoroughbred, racehorse retirement, and owner licensing.

The need for a central resource to encourage Thoroughbred ownership was identified in the comprehensive economic study of the sport that was commissioned by The Jockey Club and conducted by McKinsey & Company in 2011. The OwnerView site was launched in May 2012.

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Letruska, trained by Fausto Gutierrez, worked five furlongs in 1:01.20, and shortly afterward, Hot Rod Charlie worked seven furlongs in company in 1:26.80 for trainer Doug O'Neill.

Letruska was scheduled to work on her own, but she picked up some company on the backstretch.

“I was not planning on company; it was not ideal,” said exercise rider Roger Horgan, who was aboard Letruska who stayed to the inside of her unexpected companion. “She did relax. I was a bit concerned, but she switched off and let her do it on her own. I was very proud of her the way she relaxed.”

Gutierrez said Letruska handled the track well, noting that she has handled every track well in a 2021 campaign that has taken her to six tracks previously.

Shortly after Letruska finished, Hot Rod Charlie appeared on the scene working in company with Khantaro d'Oro, a 2-year-old maiden. Del Mar clockers caught Hot Rod Charlie in :47.80 for the half-mile, 1:00.20 for five furlongs, 1:13 for six furlongs, and 1:26.80 for the seven-eighths.

“I thought the work was visually impressive,” O'Neill said. “Charlie sat off his workmate and when Flavien (Prat) called on him, he responded well. He galloped out good and his energy was very high.”

O'Neill also sent out $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf pre-entrant Mackinnon to work six furlongs on the main track in 1:14.80.

Nine other Breeders' Cup pre-entrants worked: Ain't Easy (NetJets Juvenile Fillies) 5f in 1:01; Desert Dawn (NetJets Juvenile Fillies) 5f in 1:00.60; Helens Well (IRE) (Juvenile Fillies Turf) 5f in 1:00.60; Oviatt Class (TVG Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance) 5f in :59.60 in company; Proud Emma (Filly & Mare Sprint) 5f in :59.80 with Prat aboard; Aloha West (Qatar Racing Sprint) 4f in :47.20; Channel Maker (Longines Turf) 4f in :48.40; Chaos Theory (Turf Sprint) 4f in :48.20; and Horologist (Longines Distaff) 4f in :49.60.

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At the break, Hot Rod Charlie with Flavien Prat took the early lead, with Midnight Bourbon and Ricardo Santana, Jr. to his outside, three-quarters of a length back. The two dueled on the front around the first turn and into the backstretch, with Speaker's Corner and Weyburn three lengths back. Hot Rod Charlie kept his advantage throughout, with Midnight Bourbon staying close to him as they rounded the far turn.

With the field still several lengths back, Hot Rod Charlie, running a couple of paths off the rail, went wide out of the far turn, Prat having to take up on him to keep him from blowing the turn altogether. That move took Midnight Bourbon still wider, but Prat was able to straighten his colt out as Midnight Bourbon kept pressuring the leader down the stretch. Hot Rod Charlie was too much for Midnight Bourbon, pulling away to a 2 1/4-length victory.

Immediately after the race, Santana, Jr. lodged a claim of foul for interference against Prat and Hot Rod Charlie. The inquiry sign went up as well, but ultimately the Parx stewards decided to keep the order of finish intact.

The final time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:48.63. Find this race's chart here.

Hot Rod Charlie paid $3.80, $2.60, and $2.10. Midnight Bourbon paid $3.60 and $2.40. Americanrevolution paid $3.00.

Bred in Kentucky by Edward A. Cox, Jr., Hot Rod Charlie is by Oxbow out of the Indian Charlie mare Indian Miss. He is owned by Roadrunner Racing, William Strauss, Boat Racing, and Gainesway Stable. Hot Rod Charlie was consigned by Small Batch Sales and purchased by Dennis O'Neill at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale for $110,000. With his win in the G1 Pennsylvania Derby, the 3-year-old colt has two wins in six starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of 11-3-2-3 and career earnings of $2,171,200.

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Trained by Doug O'Neill, the son of 2013 Preakness winner Oxbow is owned by Bill Strauss, Greg Helm and Roadrunner Racing, as well as Boat Racing, which is headed by the conditioner's nephew, Patrick O'Neill, and made up of five friends who met when playing football for Brown University – Dan Giovacchini, Reiley Higgins, Alex Quoyeser and Eric Armagost.

Strauss and Helm bring years of knowledge and wisdom to the table, while the youngsters from Boat Racing provide youth, energy and charisma. The difference in generation is noticeable, but they all share a passion for horse racing.

Strauss, the founder of ProFlowers.com, enjoyed top-level success as co-owner of graded stakes winners Turbulent Descent, The Pamplemousse and two-time Breeders' Cup-winner Mizdirection.

“Our backgrounds are so diverse and so different. We all come from different life experiences, but when it comes to plotting out how to campaign 'Charlie', we come to an agreement,” said Strauss, 62. “It's been great. These are friends I have for life. It's nice when you hit your 60s and you're still making new friends.”

Helm, a semi-retired ad executive, races under the Roadrunner Racing moniker with friends from San Joaquin Country Club in California. Prior to Roadrunner Racing, Helm and his wife Glenna were a part of racing syndicates on the west coast.

“It feels great. I have terrific respect for the Boat Racing guys. They're terrific people, true gentlemen and great fun to be with,” said Helm. “It's been a joy to be partnered with them and Bill, as well.”

While Strauss and Helm are seasoned veterans, the 28-year-old Patrick O'Neill and his four college friends bring fresh faces to the game.

“It's been a very fun experience. I have to give a lot of credit to Bill and Greg Helm,” O'Neill said. “They're kids at heart and they're bringing that same energy that we're bringing. It's a complementary relationship and it's been such a fun ride.”

Hot Rod Charlie, a $110,000 purchase 2019 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, added blinkers when graduating at fourth asking in October traveling one-mile on the main track at Santa Anita. He had previously tried his luck in a pair of turf maiden special weights at Del Mar.

“We had tried different things with him, but things didn't click until his fourth start, where we went two turns on the dirt with blinkers on. That's when he sprang up and ran a different race,” Strauss said. “He was training sensationally coming out of that race. The light bulb went on.”

Hot Rod Charlie arrived at the Breeders' Cup Juvenile as the longest shot in a field of 14, going to post at 94-1 odds.

“He was competitive based on that first race he won. His numbers matched up pretty well with the rest of the field,” Strauss recalled. “He was training well and he fit numbers-wise, so we decided to take a shot. When a horse is two, they change so much from race to race, and he was changing so much in front of us day to day and week to week, but looking at the odds I was thinking 'Gosh, I hope we don't get embarrassed. I don't think I had ever had a horse in a race at 94-1.'”

Strauss and company felt the opposite of embarrassed once the race was over when Hot Rod Charlie ran a strong second to Belmont Stakes-rival Essential Quality in the Juvenile.

Hot Rod Charlie carried his effort into a close third in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis in January at Santa Anita ahead of a two-length triumph in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby in March at Fair Grounds Race Course, where jockey Joel Rosario sent him straight to the front and never looked back.

“After the Breeders' Cup, we gave him some time off. Young horses need time off after the big race he had run that day,” Strauss said. “Doug knows how to get it done. The goal wasn't the Bob Lewis in February, it was the Kentucky Derby in May. When we came to New Orleans, he was fitter and tighter. It was Joel's idea to send him to the front, and as you can see it worked out perfectly.”

Hot Rod Charlie did not disgrace his connections in the “Run for the Roses,” finishing a length shy of victory in third.

“We had some high expectations going into Kentucky. If you asked me six months ago if I would take third in the Kentucky Derby, I'd be thrilled,” Strauss said. “Turning for home it looked like we could win. No disappointment. Everything about the day, week and race itself surpassed my expectations. We had lots of close friends and family with us. We're going to do it all again this week and hopefully get it done on Saturday afternoon.”

Heading into Saturday's engagement, Patrick O'Neill and his college friends are soaking up every minute of action as they dive deeper into their love and appreciation of the sport.

“Patrick was always watching TVG. We'd watch it in the film room sometimes when we were supposed to be watching football stuff,” said Giovacchini. “We slowly started to ask questions and started to want to know more about it. A few years later, we were all at Del Mar and we decided why not take a shot together?”

Higgins said he's enjoying the moment.

“We bring the enthusiasm, they bring the brains. It's been an amazing experience for us all,” Higgins said. “Personally, I've been trying to soak up every second of this as have as much fun as I possibly can. I know these guys have been doing the exact same thing. We realize how lucky and blessed we are to be in this position. That's been my takeaway from this whole thing.”

Quoyeser said the team appreciates each and every part of the race-day experience.

“After spending one day with Team O'Neill at the track and getting in the winner's circle, it's hard not to have a good time,” he said. “A day at the track isn't just about the horses, it's about the people you're spending time with all day. You're just having a good time drinking, eating and gambling.

“We're enjoying every second of it,” Quoyeser added. “We're going to be doing every activity we can all week while we're here in New York. For the Kentucky Derby, we brought 160 of our closest friends and family to the track and this week we'll have dozens. We're very blessed to have the opportunity to be here, but also to share this with people we care about.”

Should Hot Rod Charlie's Belmont Stakes endeavor be successful, it won't just mean more good times for his enthusiastic owners.

“It would validate Charlie as being a great horse,” Strauss said. “He's in the top tier of the 3-year-old division. He's always right there against the best. Winning this race – an American Classic race, will memorialize him and put him on the charts and give him the recognition he deserves. It would solidify everything we think he is. Hopefully it set us up for this year and beyond.”

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Sent away as the 5-2 second choice in the wagering behind the Brad Cox-trained 6-5 favorite Mandaloun, Hot Rod Charlie battled with Midnight Bourbon and Joe Talamo throughout the 1 3/16 miles, and put that rival away in the final sixteenth of a mile to win in 1:55.06 on a fast main track, a new track record at the infrequently run distance. He paid $7.80 to win.

Fractions of the race were :23.10, :47.04, 1:11.25 and 1:36.38.

Midnight Bourbon held second, with 28-1 longshot O Besos rallying up the rail late to finish a head back in third, with 3-1 third choice Proxy another 1 3/4 lengths back in fourth. Mandaloun finished sixth of the eight 3-year-olds. The Risen Star winner tried to reach contention with the top pair going into the far turn but was not able to sustain his rally.

Leandro Mora, assistant to trainer Doug O'Neill, was the trainer of record for the Louisiana Derby as O'Neill was serving a 10-day medication suspension for a lidocaine positive in California from March 8-17 when entries for the race were taken.

The son of the Awesome Again stallion, Oxbow, Hot Rod Charlie earned 100 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby, with the second through fourth finishers getting 40, 20 and 10 points, respectively.

Updated Kentucky Derby leaderboard

Hot Rod Charlie is owned by the partnership of Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing and William Strauss.

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