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O’Neill On Winning The Kentucky Derby: ‘It Is All Horse Driven’

Grade 2 Louisiana Derby winner Hot Rod Charlie had his penultimate Kentucky Derby (G1) workout at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday, going six furlongs under Flavien Prat in 1:14.20 as the son of Oxbow prepares for his Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., on May 1.

Doug O'Neill hopes the third time's the charm, even though the 52-year-old trainer has captured the world's most famous race twice before, with I'll Have Another in 2012 and Nyquist in 2016.

But it never gets old.

Hot Rod Charlie is sitting on go with 110 Kentucky Derby qualifying polnts and Prat committed as his rider. Hot Rod Charlie is scheduled to have his final major Derby breeze next Saturday at Santa Anita.

“Now it's day to day to day, keep him injury free and keep moving forward,” O'Neill said. “I would think having gone through the Derby twice before is an advantage.

“It is all horse driven, based on who you're going there with, but we're very optimistic with Hot Rod Charlie. He's already shown he can ship and perform well at the highest level.

“We're excited, and the previous experience definitely is a benefit, I would think.”

As to the origin of the colt's name, O'Neill attributes it in part to the dam's sire. “He's out of a mare (Indian Miss) by Indian Charlie, so I think that's where it comes from, but Hot Rod?

“I'm not sure about that, but for us it's got a good ring to it.”

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‘These Are Agonizing Decisions’: Sadler Explains Switch From Rispoli To Rosario On Rock Your World

In a development that had been rumored earlier in the week, Steve Andersen of Daily Racing Form reported early Saturday evening that John Sadler had confirmed Joel Rosario would replace Umberto Rispoli aboard Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World in the G1 Kentucky Derby on May 1.

In an interview on “Thoroughbred Los Angeles” radio Sunday morning, Sadler acknowledged the difficult decision to make a rider change was his.

“Let's be very clear here, I was rooting for (Bob Baffert's) Concert Tour to win the Arkansas Derby (G1 on April 10) and (then) this is all a non-conversation,” said Sadler. “We decided to wait until after the Concert Tour race to see what was gonna happen and nobody could've predicted that (a disappointing third-place finish), really. I mean, he was one to five or whatever and then he didn't run on.

“So, when Joel came available. … You know, these are agonizing decisions and not easy. I want to be very clear, I think the world of Rispoli and I think the world of his riding. He's a terrific rider on our circuit and he's been a great addition to California and will continue to be. But, I had to make a call and this is the call I made. … History will tell whether I'm right or wrong. Things could go bad, you know, overnight in this game, but this is the decision we made for this race, so you know, we have to live with it and go forward.

“We think with (Joel's) experience over the track. … And just my relationship with him and these owners (Hronis Racing, LLC and Talla Racing, LLC) … this gives us our strongest position. So, this is what we're going to do. … I would love for somebody to look this up. Am I the trainer that Joel Rosario has won the most races for in his career? I think so. … We were winning titles together at Del Mar and if you say, 'Okay, Rosario with Chad Brown or Rosario with Todd Pletcher. Which trainer has the most wins with this jock?' I think it's me.

“I'll be shocked if it isn't. … One of the great stats in racing history is Russell Baze and Jerry Hollendorfer. It's like, there's nobody even close. You know, the runs they had together. … So, there's definitely some good chemistry there and we just gotta hope things go our way in Kentucky.”

Sadler said that Rock Your World would leave for Louisville next Sunday. By Candy Ride and bred in Kentucky by Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally and his wife Debbie, Rock Your World won his first start, a six-furlong maiden special weight at six furlongs on turf at Santa Anita on Jan. 1 under Rosario. Rispoli took over for a one mile turf win in the Pasadena Stakes Feb. 27 and orchestrated a brilliant gate to wire triumph in the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 3, the colt's first start on dirt.

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Highly Motivated Has Best-Of-Morning Half-Mile Breeze At Keeneland

Klaravich Stables' homebred Highly Motivated, runner-up to champion Essential Quality in the Toyota Blue Grass (G2) at Keeneland racecourse on April 3, began his final preparation for an expected run in the $3 million Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve by working a half-mile in :47.20 over a fast main track Sunday morning at the Lexington, Ky., racecourse.

The move by the Into Mischief colt was the best of 27 at the distance. (Click here for a video of the work.)

Trained by Chad Brown, Highly Motivated worked in company with Founder, who was fifth behind Essential Quality in the 2020 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland. The two came on the track shortly after 9 a.m. and worked on even terms through fractions of :12.20, :23.60, :36 and :47.20 with Highly Motivated galloping out 5 furlongs in 1:00.20 and 6 furlongs in 1:15.60.

Highly Motivated set Keeneland's track record for 6½ furlongs with his 1:14.99 clocking in winning the Nyquist Stakes during the first day of the Breeders' Cup World Championships last November. The colt is scheduled to ship to Churchill Downs Monday, April 19, with Brown slated to arrive in Louisville on Wednesday, April 21.

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Trio Of West Coast Runners Prep At Santa Anita For Kentucky Derby

Rock Your World, impressive undefeated winner of the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 3, worked five furlongs Saturday at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., in :59.60 for the G1 Kentucky Derby on May 1.

The son of Candy Ride went in company with stablemate Tripoli, who was clocked in 1:00.20. Trainer John Sadler plans to have one more breeze at Santa Anita for Rock Your World, likely next Saturday, before shipping to Kentucky.

“I had him going a minute for five furlongs with Serapio Figueroa riding, in company with Tripoli,” Sadler said. “It was a pretty effortless work, just smooth and relaxed. I was very happy.”

Also working this morning for the Run for the Roses were Dream Shake, third in the Santa Anita Derby, who went five furlongs with Flavien Prat aboard in a bullet :59.20 for trainer Peter Eurton, and G2 Louisiana Derby winner Hot Rod Charlie, who went six furlongs in 1:14.20, also with Prat up.

“It was a pretty comfortable work,” Eurton said. “He was well within himself. I'm very pleased.”

Dream Shake's time was the fastest of 72 at the distance, the average time of which was 1:01.60.

“He looked solid,” O'Neill said of Hot Rod Charlie, who will be ridden on May 1 by Prat. “So far, so good.”

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