O'Neill to Keep Shooting With The Great One
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Photo: Benoit Photo
The Great One breaks his maiden at Santa Anita Park
National Hockey League great Wayne Gretzky is credited for saying that "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take."
Doug O'Neill, who trains The Great One, a colt named after the retired hockey superstar, is following that advice with his trainee. He intends to run the 3-year-old son of Nyquist in the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) April 3—even after the colt's disappointing fifth-place finish behind the now-sidelined Life Is Good in the San Felipe Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park March 6. Life Is Good was beaten 16 3/4 lengths in the San Felipe after chasing the early pace.
Prior to the San Felipe defeat, The Great One had rolled to a 14-length local maiden win after a near-miss second to Spielberg in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) at Los Alamitos Race Course. The Great One is a winner of one of six races and $89,940 for owners ERJ Racing, Train Wreck Al Racing Stables, Niall Brennan, Tom Fritz, and Bill Strauss.
"The Great One is scheduled to work (March 27) and as long as that goes well and he comes out of it in good shape, that's the plan," said O'Neill, who posted back-to-back Santa Anita Derby victories with I'll Have Another in 2012 and Goldencents in 2013.
I'll Have Another in 2012 and Nyquist in 2016 became winners of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) for the trainer.
"(Jockey) Abel (Cedillo) will be back on him and we're excited about getting another chance against these caliber of horses," O'Neill said of The Great One. "We're real happy with The Great One and think he can rebound and run a big race."
O'Neill was delighted with stablemate Hot Rod Charlie's triumph in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) March 20 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. The son of Oxbow will train up to the Run for the Roses on May 1.
"He's back here at Santa Anita and looks great," O'Neill said of Hot Rod Charlie. "We're optimistic about the first Saturday in May with him."
The Santa Anita Derby headlines six stakes April 3, four graded. Other leading prospects expected for the race include Roman Centurian, Dream Shake, Medina Spirit, and Rock Your World.