Blinkers Back on Hot Rod Charlie for BC Classic

After racing without blinkers in his last two races and wandering in the stretch, Hot Rod Charlie will again wear the equipment in the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

This summer, Monmouth Park stewards disqualified Hot Rod Charlie from first and placed him last for interference in the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) July 17. He drifted inward in the stretch in that race and Midnight Bourbon  clipped heels and unseated his rider. Then in his subsequent start in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx Racing Sept. 25, Hot Rod Charlie carried out runner-up Midnight Bourbon  approaching the head of the stretch. Stewards there allowed the result to stand after a claim of foul and inquiry.

Trainer Doug O'Neill took blinkers off the Oxbow   3-year-old following a runner-up finish behind Essential Quality   in the June 5 Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1), looking for more competitiveness. He received it, though with the side effect of the 3-year-old not staying straight under jockey Flavien Prat, who first rode Hot Rod Charlie when third aboard him in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs.

"It's something that after the Pennsylvania Derby, Flavien Prat—who is just an amazing horseman and knows Hot Rod Charlie so well—suggested that French cup blinkers would benefit him," O'Neill said. "He's had them on in the past. He can get to wandering sometimes and seeing things. So these little set of blinkers will kind of help him stay a little bit more focused. He's had them on a bunch. So it shouldn't be an issue, one way or the another."

Hot Rod Charlie, owned by Boat Racing, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing, and Bill Strauss, made his first three starts sans blinkers before adding them and breaking his maiden with the equipment last October. He then wore them for six consecutive races, lasting through the Belmont.

Saturday, he will wear French Cup blinkers, as he did earlier in his career, O'Neill said. French Cup blinkers have small pieces of plastic on each side that restrict peripheral vision.

Along with Medina Spirit , Hot Rod Charlie is the 4-1 co-third choice in the Breeders' Cup Classic behind Knicks Go   (5-2) and Essential Quality   (3-1).