Russell Calls Decision To Enter Hello Hot Rod In FT Winter Mixed Sale ‘A Good Business Move’

As a trainer, Brittany Russell knows the best time to take a chance is when a horse is doing well. She shipped Hello Hot Rod from her Laurel Park base to New York last weekend, where the Maryland-bred half-brother of multiple stakes winner Hello Beautiful extended his win streak to three races in Aqueduct's Jimmy Winkfield Stakes.

As an owner, Russell hopes to experience similar success when Hello Hot Rod goes through the ring Feb. 9 on the second of Fasig-Tipton's two-day winter mixed sale in Lexington, Ky. The sale begins both days at 10 a.m. ET.

Russell co-owns Hello Hot Rod, a 3-year-old Mosler colt out of the Tiznow mare Hello Now, with Dark Horse Racing. Consigned by ELiTE Sales, he is cataloged as Hip No. 672.

Hello Hot Rod fetched $10,000 out of Fasig-Tipton's 2019 Midlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Sale at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium. He has won three of four starts and $113,941 in purse earnings.

“This is a business and it just seemed like sort of a good business move after winning the stake up there. I have some friends between Fasig and ELiTE sales and I thought it was a good move,” Russell said Thursday. “Naturally, I'd love to have him in the barn and keep him and race him, and maybe that can still happen, but we're going to put him through and just see what happens.”

Hello Hot Rod debuted running second by a neck to Doubleoseven in a six-furlong waiver maiden claimer last Oct. 30. He returned to capture a similar spot going seven furlongs Nov. 13 by 4 ½ lengths, then stepped up to win a one-mile optional claiming allowance triumph by 2 ¼ lengths Dec. 13 in his juvenile finale. All three races came at Laurel.

“He's the right kind. This is the right kind of horse at this time of year,” Russell said. “He's won at a mile. He already has that, and he's a stakes winner. He's done nothing wrong. That's what it comes down to. He's a racehorse.”

Hello Hot Rod was a determined front-running head winner of the seven-furlong Jimmy Winkfield, the first time he didn't go off as the favorite. He returned to Laurel later that evening, ahead of the winter storm that gripped the New York and Washington, D.C. metropolitan areas.

“He's awesome. We got lucky with the snow. It started later up in New York so we were able to get him home right away,” Russell said. “He's wonderful. You wouldn't even know he ran. He trained this morning and he's in good form.”

Russell has Wonder Stables, Robert LaPenta and Madaket Stables' Little Huntress in the seven-furlong Ruthless for 3-year-old fillies Feb. 7 at Aqueduct. A 14-length maiden special weight winner Dec. 27 at Laurel, the Frosted filly is also nominated to Laurel's $100,000 Wide Country going seven furlongs Feb. 13.

Little Huntress drew Post 4 in the Ruthless against just four other rivals.

“I entered Little Huntress in the Ruthless this morning because it [is] a short field. We're going to take a look at it and, obviously, we're going to heavily consider running Sunday there,” Russell said. “If we opt to skip, she'll run here in the stakes next week.”

Meanwhile, Russell will send out Cash is King, D.J. Stable and LC Racing's Mine Not Mine in Friday's eighth race, a one-mile allowance for Maryland-bred/sired 4-year-olds and up where the Golden Lad colt drew Post 3 in a field of seven and is 6-1 on the morning line.

Mine Not Mine ran third in a similar spot going 1 1/16 miles Jan. 1, his first start in 216 days after finishing 10th of 11 as the favorite in an open one-mile allowance last May. The winner of that race, Toy, also beat Mine Not Mine in his New Year's Day comeback.

“We were tickled with his last race. To be honest, he was far from being tight to go two turns … meaning he was at least two works short,” Russell said. “He could have used a little bit more, but he was doing well and he was working well so we thought, let's just give him a race and that should really put him right for this next race.”

Mine Not Mine, also by Golden Lad, made his first two starts for trainer Claudio Gonzalez. In his first two starts after being sold for $210,000 in December 2019 and moved to Russell, Mine Not Mine ran second and third, respectively, to the Gonzalez-trained Lebda in the 2020 Miracle Wood and Private Terms at Laurel.

“He's a horse that we've had high expectations for from Day 1 and he's had some hiccups along the way. You're just kind of hoping that every time you run him, maybe this is his chance to shine,” Russell said. “He seems like he's great right now. He's on good foot in the morning so I certainly expect to see a good effort from him.”

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Hello Hot Rod Goes from Winner’s Circle to Fasig Sales Ring

Hello Hot Rod (Mosler), fresh off a gritty score in the Jimmy Winkfield S. at Aqueduct last Sunday, will make his next appearance in the sales ring during Tuesday's second session of the Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale. The 3-year-old (hip 672), owned by Dark Horse Racing and Brittany Russell and trained by Russell, was a late supplement to the two-day auction and will be consigned by Elite.

Russell and Dark Horse Racing's Jodi Quinn already had a favorable impression of the son of Mosler before they purchased him for $10,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic October Yearling Sale. They had purchased his half-sister Hello Beautiful (Golden Lad) for $6,500 at the Midlantic December Mixed Sale the previous year.

“Hello Beautiful had just broken her maiden at the time he was being sold, but we really liked her and we knew she had some ability,” Russell said of the colt's appeal as a yearling. “He had good bone on him, he was a good-looking little horse. He had a few minor flaws that we could deal with, so it was nice we could get him bought for that price back then.”

Shortly after they purchased Hello Hot Rod, Hello Beautiful won the Maryland Million Lassie S. and the Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship. She has since added wins in the 2020 Maryland Million Distaff and Safely Kept S. and opened 2021 with a win in the What a Summer S.

Despite his half-sister's accomplishments, Russell kept her initial expectations for Hello Hot Rod in check.

“I think when you buy a horse like that for that kind of money, you don't have those high expectations,” Russell said. “You just hope you are going to have a useful racehorse. It's a nice price where, if they're going to be a lower level horse, you paid just $10,000. And if they are a nice horse, it's great because you only paid $10,000.”

But Russell's husband, jockey Sheldon Russell, knew early on the colt had talent.

“My husband does all the work on my babies in the morning and he had been on him in the morning and he liked him,” Russell said. “He said, 'This is going to be a pretty decent little horse, we'll have fun with him.'”

Hello Hot Rod got his racing career off to a promising start, closing to miss by just a neck in a six-furlong waiver maiden claiming race at Laurel Oct. 30.

“You'd love to win first time, but we were kind of just trying to give him a run and he nearly got his first start won,” Russell said. “Sheldon took him back and taught him something and he came with a run and nearly won it. He probably needed that race, anyway, from a physical standpoint.”

The dark bay colt came back to win by a front-running 4 1/4 lengths going seven furlongs in similar company Nov. 13 and added a one-mile optional claimer tally Dec. 13.

“We sort of expected for him to come back and win the way he did,” Russell said of Hello Hot Rod's second start. “And I thought he would like the mile and he did everything right in that allowance race as well.”

Hello Hot Rod jumped up to the stakes ranks for his sophomore debut and went wire-to-wire in the seven-furlong Jimmy Winkfield S., digging in gamely in the final strides to keep his nose in front on the wire (video).

“I loved him to be fair, but you don't love the one hole going seven-eighths, so that was a concern,” Russell said of expectations going into the race. “But [jockey] Trevor [McCarthy] and the horse handled it and got the job done. It's tough in the winter, these winter tracks are hard racetracks for horses to run on and he jumped out of there and he showed some speed and he kept going. He showed he's a tough racehorse and that's what you want.”

The idea of selling the colt had been percolating for some time before the final decision to enter him in the Fasig February sale.

“I had some interest [in buying him] after he broke his maiden,” Russell said. “Actually after both of his wins, we had some interest. It's kind of the goal in the game, right? To make a $10,000 horse into a more expensive horse. This is how you make money in the game, it's a tough game.”

She continued, “We own 50% of him and it was always in the back of our minds that we might try to sell him. I'd love to keep him in the barn, naturally, but I have some friends who work with Fasig and we bounced some ideas back and forth. After he won, it just seemed like maybe a smart business move.”

While the decision to sell may be a smart business move, Russell agreed it was still an emotional one.

“Oh absolutely, I love him,” she said. “He means a lot to us. We have his sister in the barn and he's our other big horse, so to see him go will be sad. But who knows, maybe we'll end up getting him back in the barn.”

Russell sees plenty of upside for potential buyers in the newly minted stakes winner.

“He's very easy to train and he's sound,” Russell said. “He's not a bleeder, so moving forward with what we are dealing with with Lasix, I think that's a huge attribute. And I think he'll go farther. He's smart, he has a good mind on him. He can go or he can sit, so as the races get longer, he has options. I think that's going to be a huge thing.”

Asked how Hello Hot Rod exited his first stakes win, Russell said, “Awesome. He's in great form.”

The Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale will be held next Monday and Tuesday at the company's Newtown Paddocks. Each session begins at 10 a.m.

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Winkfield Winner Among Latest Fasig Supplements

Last Sunday's Jimmy Winkfield S. winner Hello Hot Rod (Mosler) is one of two new supplements to the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale. The sophomore colt, who has now won his last three after just missing on debut, is catalogued as hip 672 with ELiTE. Both he and hip 673 will sell next Tuesday, Feb. 9. Trained by co-owner Brittany Russell, the dark bay is half to MSW $377,100 earner Hello Beautiful (Golden Lad).

“Hello Hot Rod is an exciting addition to our Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning.  “It is rare for a 3-year-old colt, coming off a stakes win, to be offered at this time of year.  He is the 'now horse' for those that want a colt for the Kentucky Derby trail.”

Sessions of the sale will take place starting at 10:00 a.m. in Lexington, KY Feb. 8 and 9. Visit www.fasigtipton.com for more information.

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Hello Hot Rod Among Latest Additions To Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed

Three-year-old colt Hello Hot Rod, winner of Aqueduct's Jimmy Winkfield Stakes this past Sunday, headlines Fasig-Tipton's two latest additions to its 2021 Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale. These newest entries are cataloged as hips 672 and 673 and may now be viewed online.

Hello Hot Rod, cataloged as hip 672, will be consigned as a racing prospect by ELiTE, agent. The 3-year-old son of Mosler has won three consecutive races for trainer/co-owner Brittany Russell and partner Dark Horse Racing LLC. Making his stakes debut in the Jimmy Winkfield, Hello Hot Rod overcame the rail draw to win in game wire-to-wire fashion. Although the colt is a registered Maryland-bred, his win in the Jimmy Winkfield was against open company.

Hello Hot Rod now has three wins and one second in four career starts, and earnings of $113,941.  He is a half-brother to Hello Beautiful, a multiple stakes winner of $377,110. His female family includes graded stakes winners Hello Liberty and Significant Form.

“Hello Hot Rod is an exciting addition to our Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale,” said Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning. “It is rare for a 3-year-old colt, coming off a stakes win, to be offered at this time of year.  He is the “now horse” for those that want a colt for the Kentucky Derby trail.”

The Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale will take place this Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 8-9, in Lexington, Ky. Sessions begin daily at 10 a.m.

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