The last time they met, Midnight Bourbon clipped Hot Rod Charlie's heels and stumbled in the stretch of the Grade 1 Haskell, shedding rider Paco Lopez and costing Hot Rod Charlie his first G1 stakes win. In the Pennsylvania Derby, Hot Rod Charlie once again tangled with Midnight Bourbon, as the Doug O'Neill trainee almost blew the far turn, getting close enough to Midnight Bourbon in the process that the result yet again went to the stewards. This time, though, Hot Rod Charlie got the decision, getting his first Grade 1 victory at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Penn.
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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