Doug O'Neill | Horse Racing Free Tips

Hot Rod Charlie Works In Preparation For BC Classic Nov. 6

Hot Rod Charlie, who captured the Pennsylvania Derby at Parx in Bensalem, Pa., on Sept. 29 for his first Grade I victory, worked four furlongs at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., this morning at 7:45 as he prepares for the Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., on Nov. 6.

With Mike Smith filling in for regular rider Flavien Prat, the son of Oxbow breezed wearing “a little set of French blinkers,” Doug O'Neill said.

“He went a half-mile in 48 and change and galloped out in 1:01 and three (fifths),” the trainer added. “He looked good. It was his first piece of exercise since the Pennsylvania Derby win.

“If all goes well and he stays injury-free, he'll have three more works between now and Nov. 6.

“More than likely, he'll wear a set of French blinkers in the Classic, but we haven't made that official yet.”

French blinkers are used to reduce a small portion of a horse's usual field of vision.

With committed front-runners Knicks Go, Medina Spirit, and Art Collector ticketed for the Classic, it could set up well for Hot Rod Charlie, who has been in close attendance to the pace in each of his 11 races.

“We've got options,” O'Neill said. “He's shown he can win on the front or from sitting behind, so I like where we're at. He's definitely a versatile colt.

“We'll probably have two more works at Santa Anita and head to Del Mar on the 25th where he'll have his last work.”

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Essential Quality Re-Takes Lead In Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings

Godolphin's Essential Quality moved back into first place by three votes over stablemate Knicks Go in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings, a weekly poll of the top 10 horses in contention for the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). This year's Longines Breeders' Cup Classic will be run at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, on Nov. 6 as the final race of the 38th Breeders' Cup World Championships.

The 3-year-old Essential Quality, trained by Brad Cox, received 328 votes. A winner four times in five starts this year, including victories in the Belmont Stakes (G1) and the Runhappy Travers (G1), Essential Quality had been in first place for three consecutive weeks before being overtaken by Knicks Go last week. The 5-year-old Knicks Go, who is in second place with 325 votes, won his fourth race of the year in easy fashion on Saturday, taking the Lukas Classic (G3) at Churchill Downs by four lengths. Knicks Go earned a free berth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic when he won the Whitney (G1) at Saratoga Race Course in August.

The 3-year-old Hot Rod Charlie remained in third place with 269 votes. Owned by Boat Racing, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing, and William Strauss, and trained by Doug O'Neill, Hot Rod Charlie won the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) in his most recent start.

Following his frontrunning victory in the “Win and You're In” Awesome Again Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park, Zedan Racing Stables' Medina Spirit has jumped from seventh place to fourth this week with 206 votes.

Godolphin's 4-year-old Maxfield dropped one spot to fifth place with 180 votes. Trained by Brendan Walsh, Maxfield, who finished second in the Woodward Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park on Saturday, earned an automatic starting position in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic when he captured the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs in June.

The big mover in this week's Classic Rankings was Bruce Lunsford's 4-year-old Art Collector, who leaped from 18^th place into a sixth-place tie with George E. Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds Corp's Max Player. Trained by Bill Mott, Art Collector won his third consecutive race when he captured Saturday's Woodward wire-to-wire by 1 ½ lengths.

The 4-year-old Max Player, trained by Steve Asmussen, earned an automatic berth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic when he won the Suburban Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park in July, and followed up that score with a victory in the “Win and You're In” Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga on Sept. 4. Art Collector and Max Player have 163 votes apiece.

St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska, a three-time Grade 1 winner this year for trainer Fausto Gutierrez, improved from 10^th place to eighth with 70 votes.

Prince A A Faisal's 4-year-old Mishriff (IRE) dropped one position to ninth place with 61 votes. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Mishriff gained an invitation to the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic when he won the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) at York Racecourse in England on Aug. 18.

St. Elias Stable's Dr Post and Hronis Racing's Tripoli are tied in 10^th place with 35 votes each. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the 4-year-old Dr Post, who has two Grade 3 wins this year, finished third in the Woodward Stakes. The John Sadler trained 4-year-old Tripoli, who secured a free berth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic when he won the TVG Pacific Classic (G1) in August, dropped from sixth place to 10^th following his fourth-place finish in the Awesome Again Stakes.

Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings – Oct. 5, 2021*

Rank	Horse	Votes	First-Place Votes	Previous Week
1	Essential Quality	328	14	2
2	Knicks Go	325	16	1
3	Hot Rod Charlie	269	1	3
4	Medina Spirit	206	1	7
5	Maxfield	180	1	4
6	Art Collector	163	1	18
6	Max Player	163	0	5
8	Letruska	70	0	10
9	Mishriff (IRE)	61	2	8
10	Dr Post	35	0	13
10	Tripoli	35	0	6

*Note – The Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings have no bearing on qualification or selection into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

The 2021 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, which will be run at 1 ¼ miles on the main track, is limited to 14 starters. The race will be broadcast live on NBC.

The Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings are determined by a panel of leading Thoroughbred racing media, horseplayers, and members of the Breeders' Cup Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel. Rankings will be announced each week through Oct. 11. A list of voting members can be found here.

In the Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings, each voter rates horses on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 system in descending order.

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Mackinnon Takes Zuma Beach For Third Consecutive Victory

It's on to the Breeders' Cup for Doug O'Neill-trained Mackinnon as he accelerated powerfully off the turn for home and took Sunday's $200,000 Zuma Beach Stakes by 2 ¼ lengths at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Mackinnon got one mile on turf in 1:33.80. With the Zuma Beach being his third win in a row at the trip, it's on now to the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf on Nov. 5 at Del Mar.

Mid-pack, about six lengths off the lead at the half mile pole, Mackinnon saved ground at the rail around the turn, idled into third position at the top of the lane and blew by eventual runner-up Silver Surfer and early pacesetter Thirty Four Coupe in deep stretch in a huge effort.

“He's getting better every race,” said Hernandez, who has now ridden him in his last four races. “He broke good, there was little speed, and he felt a little tired on the right side, so he changed leads to the right side. That's why I had to check a little bit and decided to stay inside and save ground and make one run.

“He came with a huge run today…He's improved a lot because the last couple of times I rode him, I had to work a little hard in the stretch with him. Today, I asked him a little and after that, he just took off again.

A winner of Del Mar's Juvenile Turf on Sept. 6, Mackinnon was off as the 6-5 favorite in a field of 10 juveniles and paid $4.40, $2.60 and $2.40.

“We didn't get the most ideal trip,” said O'Neill. “He was a little green early but Juan said once we got the first half mile behind us, he settled nicely. And as you could see, he finished up real well. If he comes out of this in good shape, it's on to the Breeders' Cup.”

English-bred Silver Surfer appeared to take control in upper stretch, but was no match for the winner. Off at 5-2 with Flavien Prat, Silver Surfer paid $3.20 and $2.60 while finishing 1 ¼ lengths clear of Picota.

Ridden by John Velazquez, English-bred Picota was off at 17-1 and paid $5.60 to show.

Fractions on the race were 22.33, 46.08, 1:09.85 and 1:21.90.

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Hot Rod Charlie Outbattles Midnight Bourbon in PA Derby

Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow), among the most talented horses in training yet to have officially reached the highest level, got his Grade I in Saturday's Pennsylvania Derby–but not without some more drama. He had last been seen getting DQ'd from first to seventh in the GI Haskell Invitational S. at Monmouth July 17 when he crossed over on and clipped heels with Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow), causing that runner to drop Paco Lopez. And it was Midnight Bourbon who again was involved in a controversial stretch drive with Hot Rod Charlie.

Backed at 9-10 to atone for his Haskell transgressions, Hot Rod Charlie went right to the front with Midnight Bourbon locked on to his right flank through opening splits of :23.52 and :47.07. Hot Rod Charlie and Flavien Prat floated Midnight Bourbon very wide into the lane after six furlongs in 1:10.76, but they straightened up for the stretch drive and always seemed to be going better, crossing the wire 2 1/4 lengths to the good of Midnight Bourbon with Americanrevolution (Constitution) a non-threatening third.

The tote board flashed, and the tension mounted, but after some consideration the stewards made what appeared to most to be the right call and let the result stand.

“He broke well and we got ourselves to the lead,” said Prat. “He likes to be forwardly placed. When it was time to go, he kind of looked around… He kind of messed around and swapped leads. I am really happy for the whole team and the connections. I thought I was on the best horse. He was training absolutely perfect going into the race. I was under control for the whole race.”

Steve Asmussen, trainer of the runner-up, was less pleased with the result: “Flavien Prat almost drops Midnight Bourbon for the second time. My horse ran well. He survived.”

A fourth-out graduate going a mile at Santa Anita last October, Hot Rod Charlie was immediately thrown into the deep end after that, but he handled it just fine, running eventual champion Essential Quality (Tapit) to 3/4 of a length at 94-1 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He defeated Midnight Bourbon by two lengths in the GII Louisiana Derby Mar. 20, and was a close third across the line in the GI Kenucky Derby May 1. Second to Essential Quality in the GI Belmont S. June 5 while earning a strong 108 Beyer Speed Figure, Hot Rod Charlie out-gamed current Derby runner-up Mandaloun (Into Mischief) in the Haskell stretch drive.

“Charlie is a rock star. I'm just a roadie but I am a pumped roadie, that's for sure,” said trainer Doug O'Neill, who was celebrating his first Pennsylvania Derby victory. “I could tell Charlie did not corner as well as he could. But it didn't seem like he affected [Midnight] Bourbon at all, thank God. He seemed like he was clear. Flavien had mentioned maybe putting a set of cheaters on him again. He said he got a little distracted being on the lead, kind of looking around and that might have caused him not to corner as well as he could have. This one did not seem as dramatic as the Monmouth race. For this to come on top of his last race, this was definitely exaggerated and had a long inquiry as well. Thank God he was clear and didn't cause any interference. I was pretty confident they were not going to take him down.”

O'Neill continued, “When you have speed and stamina and class, you can do some crazy, cool things. He displayed today that he has got some special qualities that, if he stays injury free, could lead to big stuff in November. I think he can be a big force in the Breeders' Cup. Obviously there are some big time horses out there that have more experience than him, but he is coming around at a good time.”

Saturday, Parx Racing
PENNSYLVANIA DERBY-GI, $1,000,000, Parx Racing, 9-25, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:48.63, ft.
1–HOT ROD CHARLIE, 124, c, 3, by Oxbow
1st Dam: Indian Miss, by Indian Charlie
2nd Dam: Glacken's Gal, by Smoke Glacken
3rd Dam: Lady Diplomat, by Silver Deputy
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($17,000 Ylg '19 FTKFEB; $110,000 Ylg
'19 FTKOCT). O-Boat Racing, LLC, Gainesway Stable (Antony
Beck), Roadrunner Racing & William Strauss; B-Edward A.
Cox (KY); T-Doug F. O'Neill; J-Flavien Prat. $573,000.
Lifetime Record: 11-3-2-3, $2,171,200. *1/2 to Mitole
(Eskendereya), Ch. Male Sprinter, MGISW, $3,104,910.
Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross
pedigree.
2–Midnight Bourbon, 124, c, 3, Tiznow–Catch the Moon, by
Malibu Moon. ($525,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Winchell
Thoroughbreds LLC; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings
LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $191,000.
3–Americanrevolution, 122, c, 3, Constitution–Polly Freeze,
by Super Saver. ($275,000 Ylg '19 SARAUG). O-CHC Inc. &
WinStar Farm LLC; B-Fred W. Hertrich III & John D. Fielding
(NY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $95,500.
Margins: 2 1/4, 4HF, 2 1/4. Odds: 0.90, 3.70, 8.40.
Also Ran: Fulsome, Bourbonic, Speaker's Corner, I Am Redeemed, Weyburn. Scratched: Keepmeinmind, Medina Spirit.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:

One of seven black-type winners–and the first at Grade I level–for his sire Oxbow, Hot Rod Charlie is the third Grade I winner produced by a daughter of Indian Charlie after his half-brother, 2019 Eclipse Champion Sprinter Mitole (Eskendereya), and GI Frizette S. winner Dayoutoftheoffice (Into Mischief).

The fifth foal, runner and winner out of the placed Indian Miss, Hot Rod Charlie is her second at the highest level after Mitole, who won the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint among four Grade I victories. She sold for $1.9 million to Larry Best's OXO Equine carrying to Into Mischief at the 2020 Keeneland November Sale. Indian Miss threw a filly by Into Mischief in 2019-also an OXO Equine purchase at $525,000 at last year's Keeneland September Sale–and a colt by that sire this term. A half-sister to GII Davona Dale S. heroine Live Lively (Medaglia d'Oro), she visited the court of Instagrand earlier this year.

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